Truth About Tris Prior
by 7701DeathlyHalfBloodPrincess
Summary: So, read the books story with DIVERGENT! I just don't see a lot of these. 3RD POV. I DO NOT OWN THE DIVERGENT TRILOGY. BELONGS TO VERONICA ROTH. :) Happy reading! Sorry I didn't continue. Currently working...
1. Chapter 1

**[A/N: None of this except plotline belongs to me. Belongs to Veronica Roth. There's going to be like a sort of series like, HP, PJO, etc. Swearing will be involved, just mild though.]**

3rd POV

Tris was about to shoot with her gun at the target for who knows how many times, until a white flash enveloped her, Four, Eric, Christina, Peter and Will was enveloped by a flash of light. When the light faded, they were in a sitting arrangement in a white room, where there was only a simple kitchen, bathroom, a window and the tiny sitting room they were in. There were 3 couches. In the couch between the 2 besides it, was the Dauntless born, plus Eric.

Couch One:

-Eric

-Zeke

-Uriah

-Marlene

-Peter

In the couch at the left side was the rest of the Dauntless:

-Four

-Tris

-Will

-Christina

In the 3rd couch at the right was:

-Mr. Prior

-Mrs. Prior

-Marcus

-Caleb

-Susan

-Robert

These couches formed the shape of a very, irregular rectangle, and the 4th side was an armchair. That armchair was occupied by a girl with kaleidoscope eyes, olive skin and with layered, ginger hair. At the side of her chair was a bulky, silver, knapsack. In her lap was 3 books. The first one had a title, that was too small to see. The other 2 was blank, like a brand new diary.

Everybody -the Dauntless the most- was shouting, asking why thew were here, etc. until the girl stood up and shushed them all.

"OK, so the first lucky people who get to read about the life of their main character is the people of Divergent!" Four and Tris were slightly fidgeting, well on the inside Four was. "I don't want any judging other people until the end of this reading session. Don't worry, no time will have passed by if you were wondering, and because of this, you will only get hungry or the need to go to the washroom. These book, will be in the point of view of a certain Tris Prior." She gestured toward Tris, who was beet red.

"Can we at least, skip the personal parts?" She asked.

"Nope, now any more questions?" the mysterious girl asked.

"Who the hell are you?" Peter asked, re-gaining his idiocy.

"Riley, you rude ass." she glared. "Anyway," she said, "let's start reading." She handed the book to Four and he turned to the first page. Tris' mind turned blank, wondering what would happened. Riley, was just groaning at Tris' reaction, wondering if she had to go through this with Harry, Percy, Artemis, Katniss, Cassia, Jason, Piper, Leo, Frank and Hazel.

**[A/N: How was it? I know, it's bit rushed and probably has loads of errors, but there's a party going on. SO SORRY!]**


	2. Divergent: First Chapter

A/N:** Thank you, Autumn Black 74, MorningStarAtNight, katraj0908, labelma, Gopudding610, Nessa919 and the monkey of bananas for following me. Thank you Autumn Black 74 and label ma for reviewing. Thank you also Nessa919 and PercyJacksonchaos for favourite. Disclaimer!** :)

_ She handed the book to Four and he turned to the first page. Tris' mind turned blank, wondering what would happened. Riley, was just groaning at Tris' reaction, wondering if she had to go through this with Harry, Percy, Artemis, Katniss, Cassia, Jason, Piper, Leo, Frank and Hazel._

"Chapter 1"

Four stuttered as he read the chapter title. Riley sighed and Peter was fuming about her comment. NO ONE called him ass.

**"There is only one mirror in my house."**

Four is interrupted by Christina's loud gasp. Riley's eyebrow was twitching. Four just barked at her.

"Candor! Can't you keep quiet for one second? We haven't even passed the 1st sentence!"

"What?! I was just wondering how she survived with only one freaking mirror!"

"You get used to it." Tris said quietly, just loud enough for Christina to hear though. Four cleared his throat and started reading.

**"It is behind a sliding panel in the hallway upstairs. Our faction allows me to stand in front of it on the second day of every third month, the day my mother cuts my hair. I sit on the stool and my mother stands behind me with the scissors, trimming. The strands fall on the floor in a dull, blond ring. When she finished, she pulls my hair away from my face and twists it into a knot. I note how calm she looks and how focused she is. She is well-practiced in the art of losing herself. I can't say the same for myself."**

"Got that right." Will laughed. Four looked as if he was ready to strangle somebody, everybody was actually. Even Susan, and she was the peaceful one in the group.  
Will noticed this, and stopped abruptly. When he did, sighs were heard all over the room.

**"I sneak a look at my reflection when she isn't paying attention-not for the sake of vanity-"**

"OMG! You couldn't even look at your reflection?!" Christina shouted...again.

"Abnegation believes it is very self indulgent." Tris, Caleb, Robert and Susan answered. Four was twitching, wondering if they would ever shut up.

"Oh... makes sense." Christina slumped back, after noticing Eric's glare.

**"but out of curiosity. A lot can happen to a person's appearance in three months. In my reflection, I see a narrow face, wide, round eyes, and a long thin nose- I still look like a little girl, though sometime in the last few months I turned sixteen. The other factions celebrated birthdays, but we don't. It would be self-indulgent.**

Peter and the other people who weren't or were in Abnegation, put their heads in their hands, or looked at Tis disbelievingly. They couldn't believe that they didn't even know their own birthday. Riley rolled her eyes, thinking they should already know this. Four kept reading after 5 seconds of this.

**"There," she says when she pins the knot in place. Her eyes catch mine in the mirror. It is too late to look away, but instead of scolding me, she smiles at our reflection. I frown a little. Why doesn't she reprimand me for staring at myself?**

Four and Eric suddenly remember hearing about a Dauntless transferring to Abnegation on their 16th a couple of years ago. They stare at Tris, no, it wasn't possible. Christina was thinking that at least there was somebody sane was in Abnegation. Caleb, Robert and Susan were mentally shaking their heads. Caleb was also shocked. Riley grinned, imagining their faces a few chapters from now.

**"So today is the day," she says.  
**  
**"Yes," I reply.**

**"Are you nervous?"**

**I stare into my own eyes for a moment. Today is the day of the aptitude test that will show me which of the five factions I belong in. And tomorrow, at the Choosing Ceremony, I will decide on a faction; I will decide the rest of my life; I will decide to stay with my family or abandon them.**

**"No," I say. "The tests don't have to change our choices."**

**"Right." She smiles. "Let's go eat breakfast."**

**"Thank you. For cutting my hair."**

Peter coughed, "Mommy's girl." and Riley shot him a glare. He looked at her curious.

"What? It's true." he said.

"At least, she has manners, unlike a certain rat, I know of." she countered. Peter shrivelled back to his seat and Tris started to laugh, her face red with embarrassment. It was nice for someone to defend her, but... not all the time. Four shot her a concerned look before he started reading again.

**"She kisses my cheek and slides the panel over the mirror. I think my mother could be beautiful, in a different world. Her body is thin beneath the grey robe. She has high cheekbones and long eyelashes, and when she lets her hair down at night, it hangs in waves over her shoulders. But she must hide that beauty in Abnegation."**

Four was again staring at Tris in the awkward silence, in which he stopped reading. He nodded at the description. Tris looks like that too, he thought. Susan, Christina and Marlene were all thinking the same thing: Does he like her? Tris was fidgeting as Four stared at her. It was only when Zeke coughed that he started reading.

**"We walk together to the kitchen. On these mornings, my brother makes breakfast, and my father skims my hair as he reads the newspaper, and my mother hums as she cleans the table- it is on these mornings that I feel guiltiest about leaving them.**

**[A/N: Taking a break. Rest of chapter will come later. By the way, this A/N will not be gone, just skip over it after I update. It would make sense for Four and Eric to have heard about Tris' mom because they are high in authority. Besides, I wanted to update at least half of the chapter already. Sorry for taking sooo long.]**

Four skimmed the rest of the page. "There is a break, starting from here." he announced, knowing, f he didn't everybody would be confused.

**"The bus stinks of exhaust. Every time it hits a patch of uneven pavement, it jostles me from side to side, even though I'm gripping the seat to keep myself still. My older brother,** **Caleb-"**

"Finally, you introduce me properly." Clab grins. Four lets it pass this one time. It was about himself.

**"-stands in the aisle, holding a railing above his head to keep himself steady. We don't look alike. He has my father's dark hair and hooked nose and my mother's green eyes and dimpled cheeks. When he was younger, that collection of features looked strange,"**

"HEY!" Caleb shouted. Tris shrugged, indifferent.

**"but now it suits him. If he wasn't Abnegation, I'm sure the girls at school would stare at him. He also inherited my mother's talent for selflessness. He gave his seat to a surly Candor man on the bus without a second thought. The Candor man wears a black suit with a white tie- Candor standard uniform. Their faction values honesty and sees the truth as black and white, so that is what they wear. The gaps between the buildings narrow and the roads are smoother as we near the heart of the city. The building that was once called the Sears Tower- we call it the Hub- emerges from the fog, a black pillar in the skyline. The bus passes under the elevated tracks. I have never been on a train, though they never stop running and there are tracks everywhere.**

"That's not true." Eric grunted. "They do stop for an hour or two, but there are always other trains running."

**Only the Dauntless ride them. Five years ago, volunteer construction workers from Abnegation repaved some of the roads. They started in the middle of the city and worked their way outward until they ran out of materials. The roads where I live are still cracked and patchy, and it's not safe to drive on them. We don't have a car anyway. Caleb's expression is placid as the bus sways and jolts on the road. The gray robe falls from his arm as he clutches as pole for balance. I can tell by the constant shifting of his eyes that he is watching the people around us- striving to see only them and to forget himself. Candor values honest but our faction, Abnegation, values selflessness. The bus stops in front of the school and I get up, scooting past the Candor man. I grab Caleb's arm as I stumble over the man's shoes."**

"I thought I'd never hear about the day, a Stiff would be stumbling over a man's shoes, like a selfish person would." Peter mocked.

"Shut up, Peter! I was enjoying that moment." Tris shot back.

"Why?"

"Because, I didn't get to hear your stupid voice." she countered. People were laughing as Peter's face turned red.

"I never knew you would be able to insult something like that, Beatrice." Robert said. Tris was taken aback by the use of her old name but managed to say.

"People change, Robert, even if it has been only for a few days." she replied. He nodded, accepting the answer.

**"My slacks are too long, and I've never been graceful. The Upper Levels building is the oldest of the three schools in the city: Lower Levels, Mid-Levels, and Upper Levels. Like all the other buildings around it, it is made of glass and steel. In front of it is a large metal sculpture that the Dauntless climb after school, daring each other to go higher and higher.**

"Ahh... I remember that, do you Zeke?" Uriah nudged his brother in the chest.

"How could I forget? Especially with all those threats I made on you?" Zeke grinned. The brothers kept teasing each other until Four started reading again.

**"Last year, I watched one of them fall and break her leg. I was the one who ran to get the nurse."**

"You were the one who did that? Marlene asked. Tris nodded.

"Well, since Shauna isn't here to say thank you, I'll have to say it for her. Thank you." she smiles.

"Your welcome." Tris nods and smiles back.

**" Aptitude tests today." I say. Caleb is not quite a year older than I am, so we are in the same year at school. He nods as we pass through the front doors. My muscles tighten the second we walk in. The atmosphere feels hungry, like every sixteen-year-old is trying to devour as much as he can get of this last day. It is likely that we will not walk these halls again after the Choosing Ceremony- once we choose, our new factions will be responsible for finishing our education. Our classes are cut in half today, so we will attend all of them before the aptitude tests, which take place after lunch. My heart rate is already elevated.**

"You aren't at all worried about what they'll tell you?" I ask Caleb.

We pause at the split in the hallway where he will go one way, toward Advanced Math, and I will go the other, toward Faction History. He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Are you?"

I could tell him I've been worried for weeks about what the aptitude test will tell me- Abnegation, Candor, Erudite, Amity or Dauntless?"

"You didn't have to. I could tell. Apparently, this book didn't mention you were sweaty." Caleb tells Tris.

**"Instead, I smile and say,**

"Not really." He smiles back.

**"Well... have a good day." I walk toward Faction History, chewing on my lower lip. He never answered my question. The hallways are cramped, though the light coming through the window creates the illusion of space; they are one of the only places where the factions mix, at our age. Today, the crowd has a new kind of energy, a last day mania. A girl with long, curly hair shouts "Hey!" next to my ear, waving at a distant friend. A jacket sleeve smacks me on the cheek. Then an Erudite boy in a blue sweater shoves me. I lose my balance and fall hard on the ground.**

**"Out of my way, Stiff," he snaps, and continues down the hallway**.

"People can be absolutely rude." Susan huffed. Everyone but Eric and Peter agreed.|

**"My cheeks warm. I get up and dust myself off. A few people stopped when I fell, but none of them offered to help me. Their eyes follow me to the edge of the hallway. This sort of thing has been happening to others in my faction for a few months now- the Erudite have been releasing antagonistic reports about Abnegation, and it has begun to affect the way we relate at school."**

"Nah, it's always been that way. Most of the Erudite and Dauntless were just smart enough to keep their mouths shut." Peter says.

"I assume that wasn't one of you." Four says, in an accusing voice. Peter rolled his eyes, and for once, ignored him.

**"The grey clothes , the plain hairstyle, and the unassuming demeanor of my faction are supposed to make it easier for me to forget myself, and easier for everyone else to forget me too. But now they make me a target. I pause by a window in the E wing and wait for the Dauntless to arrive. I do this every morning. At exactly 7:25 the Dauntless prove their bravery by jumping from a moving train.**

"Well, somebody's been studying." Zeke teased. Everybody chuckled, except for Tris' family, especially her dad. Was she always like this? Her dad asked himself. His wife let out a soft snort, which didn't go unnoticed by him. He stared at her until she shrugged her shouders and gestured for him to listen to his daughter's thoughts.

"My father calls the Dauntless "hellions."

Cue the stares. Tris' dad just ignored them. His wife, frowned a bit, he didn't know why though.

**"They are pierced, tattooed and black-clothed. Their primary purpose is to guard the fence that surrounds our city. From what, I don't know. They should perplex me. I should wonder what courage- which is the virtue they most value- has to do with sticking a metal ring through your nostril. Instead, my eyes cling to them wherever they go. The train whistles blares, the sound resonating in m chest. The light fixed to the front of the train clicks on and off as the train hurtles past the school, squealing on iron rails. And as the last few cars pass, a mass exodus of young men and women in dark clothing hurl themselves from the moving cars, some dropping and rolling, others stumbling a few steps before regaining their balance. One of the boys wraps his arms around a girl's shoulders, laughing. Watching them is a foolish practice.**

"Not really, since you ended up choosing Dauntless." Four says.

"I didn't know that before, did I now?" Tris shots back. Four rolls his eyes as if to say 'not the point' and resumes reading.

"I turn away from and press through the crowd to the Faction History classroom."

Fours sighs and hands the book to Tris but Riley takes it away.

"Nuh-uh. Tris s forbidden to read her own thoughts. She is allowed to hear it, but not read it." Riley explains.

"Just one chapter?" Tris asks. She really wanted to know what would happen. Riley thinks for a moment and smiles.

"Fine, just one, but not this one. I'll tell you which one." Riley passed the book to Christina as Tris grunted. A flash of light surrounded the room and a new person was sitting besides Will. Tris was the first to recover.

"AL!" she shouted as she hugged him. Al looked confused. He looked up to Tris and asked:

"Where am I?"

**[A/N: DONE! Now, since I've gotten reviews, follows, favourites etc. since last night, they'll be mentioned next chapter. Hope you like it :D]**


	3. Divergent: Second Chapter

**Thank you for following: MaizeEatr, Tiny Dancer Ahiru, ezrialover1, nayaah, WingDawn98,ParamoreIsland and Zariha123. Thanks for favourite MaizeEatr and thank you for reviewing, Zariha123. Now, for you who are confused, like Zariha123, it's pretty simple. A girl, (Riley her identity will change when she reads with a different book series) comes and gathers characters from books so they can read about the main character's life. The first series is Divergent. Anything from the book series is not mine, not even the plotline is... since a lot of people do Reading the Books stories. Happy Reading :) Dad is Tris' dad for whenever I forget his last name ;)**

_"Fine, just one, but not this one. I'll tell you which one." Riley passed the book to Christina as Tris grunted. A flash of light surrounded the room and a new person was sitting besides Will. Tris was the first to recover._

_"AL!" she shouted as she hugged him. Al looked confused. He looked up to Tris and asked:_

_"Where am_ I?"

"The answer to that excellent question is nowhere." Riley announces. Everybody looked shocked, thinking that, that was not possible, but they were here now weren't they?

"Why?"

"To read about Tris's life since she joined Dauntless." Four grunted.

"Can I start now?" Christina asked, slightly annoyed.

"Yeah." With that, Christina cleared her throat, flipped to the right page and started reading:

**"Chapter 2"**

**"The tests begin after lunch. We sit at the long tables in the cafeteria and the test administrators all ten names at a time, one for each testing room. I sit next to Caleb and across from our neighbor, Susan."**

"Finally, I come into the story! Let's hope you introduce me well." Susan teases. Tris shrugs, indifferent. Christina sighs, and continues to read

**"Susan's father travels throughout the city for his job, so he has a car and drives her to and from school everyday. He offered to drive us too, but as Caleb says we prefer to leave later and not want to inconvenience him."**

"Yeah, right." Robert says as Dad and Marcus mutters a "How we all should act." while Susan rolls her eyes.

**"Of course not. The test administrators are mostly Abnegation volunteers, although there is an Erudite in one of the testing rooms and a Dauntless in another to test those of us from Abnegation, because the rules state that we can't be tested by someone from our own faction."**

"I don't get it." Al says, speaking for the first time since the chapter started.

"What?" Four responds, giving up the hope for no interruptions, while Christina looked relieved for an excuse to stop reading for a bit.

"Why can't there be two administrators from each faction?"

"You know, that actually makes sense." Caleb looks at the ceiling in thought.

"Abnegation insisted." Marcus stated firmly. Riley was getting bored and zoned out. She didn't need to be conscious unless she wanted to be anyway. Christina, disappointed, mournfully kept reading.

**"The rules also say we can't prepare for the test in any way. so I don't know what to expect. My gaze drifts from Susan to the Dauntless tables across the room."**

"Are you obsessed with Dauntless, or something, punk? We've been mentioned 3 times already and you weren't even in our faction at this point." Eric snaps.

Tris just snuggled in the couch and ignored the question. Four glared. Christina reads, stumbling over the words a bit.

**They are laughing and shouting and playing cards. At another set of tables, the Erudite chatter over books and newspapers, in constant pursuit of knowledge. A group of Amity girls in yellow and red sit in a circle on the cafeteria floor, playing some kind of hand-slapping game involving a rhyming song.**

"It's a dare sort of game where they have to sing a really fast rhyme and the person who messes up, sits in the middle. Then when another person messes up, they switch." Robert and Riley said at the same time. **[A/N: For the record, this might not actually be a real game :p] **

Robert looks at Riley in shock, who is now raising an eyebrow. "It's not only the Amity who know it." she said, her voice threatening.

"I-I know... just shock, I guess." he mumbled. Christina went back to reading.

**" Every few minutes I hear a chorus of laughter from them as someone is eliminated and has to sit in the center of the circle. At the table next to them, Candor boys make wide gestures with their hands. They seem to be arguing about something, but it must not be serious, because they some of them are still smiling. At the Abnegation table, we sit quietly and wait. Faction customs dictate even idle behaviour and supersede individual preference. I doubt all the Erudite want to study all the time, or that every Candor enjoys a lively debate-**

"Peter definitely doesn't." Will jokes. The people in his couch and Riley chuckle because of the truth of it. Peter fumes silently. Five minutes after Christina reads.

**"-but they can't defy the norms of their faction any more than I can. Caleb's name is called in the next group. He moves confidently toward the exit. I don't need to wish him luck or assure him that he shouldn't be nervous. He knows where he belongs, and as far as I know, he always has. My earliest memory of him is from when we were four years old. He scolded me for not giving my jump rope to a little girl on the playground who had nothing to play wit. He doesn't lecture me often anymore, but I have his look of disapproval memorized."**

Caleb beamed proudly at his sister. Even though, she didn't usually listen, at least he had some influence over her. Tris, not noticing Caleb beaming, cuddled into Four, also not realizing what she was doing. All she knew it was plain embarrassing for people to hear her thoughts.

**"I have tried to explain to him that my instincts are not the same as his- it didn't even enter my mind to give my seat to the Candor man on the bus- but he doesn't understand. "**

At this, Caleb's pride faltered a bit. He always assumed she knew what his intentions were. It didn't occur to him that Beatrice also bought his act. Mr. Prior was also thinking hard. How did Tris get those instincts? He and Mrs. Prior **[A/N: What's her first name?] **were both selfless as it could be. Something wasn't adding up.

**"Just do what you're supposed to," he always says. It is that easy for him. It should be easy for me. My stomach wrenches. I close my eyes and keep them closed until ten minutes later, when Caleb sits down again. He is plaster-pale. He pushes his palms along his legs like I do when I wipe off sweat, and when he brings them back, his fingers shake. I open my mouth to ask him something, but the words don't come. I am not allowed to ask him about his results, and he is not allowed to tell me. An Abnegation volunteer speaks the next round of names. Two from Dauntless, two from Erudite, two from Amity, two from Candor, and then: "From Abnegation: Susan Black and Beatrice Prior."**

"You don't have to be so specific." Uriah says, making Tris jump a bit, forgetting he was there.

"I wasn't even thinking that." she responds, looking over to Riley.

"Your subconscious did though. It was describing things that you weren't even aware of. Besides, it was to help people who didn't come from the 5 factions." Riley says.

"You mean the factionless?" Four asks.

"No. People from different... societies and government. You should talk to Marcus and Mr. Prior about it after this chapter." Riley suggests, catching the grumble from Al's stomach.

"Er... yes, let's." Zeke says, also catching the grumble.

** "I get up because I'm supposed to, but if it were up to me, I would stay in my seat for the rest of the time. I feel like there is a bubble in my chest that expands more by the second, threatening to break me apart from the inside. I follow Susan to the exit. The people I pass probably can't tell us apart.**

"Finally, a proper introduction. The last one only involved my Dad." Susan says, trying to joke, which was just unfamiliar since she didn't say a lot.

"You bet we couldn't." Christina mutters grudgingly. It was confusing for her. She almost thought they were twins, until their names were called out.

**"We wear the same clothes and we wear our blond hair the same way. The only difference is that Susan might not feel like she's going to throw up, and from what I could tell, her hands aren't shaking so hard she has to clutch the hem of her shirt to steady them."**

Susan frowned at that. She wanted to tell Beatrice that she was wrong. She had been so nervous, she was about to hyperventilate, but deciding that wasn't important, she leaned back into the couch. She was also a bit disappointed that it really wasn't a proper introduction. Oh well.

** "Waiting for us outside the cafeteria is a row of ten rooms. They are used only for the aptitude tests, so I have never been in one before. Unlike the other rooms in the school, they are separated, not by glass, but by mirrors. I watch myself, pale and terrified, walking toward one of the doors. Susan grins nervously at me as she walks into room 5 and I walk into room 6, where a Dauntless woman waits for me.**

**She is not as severe-looking as the young Dauntless I have seen. She has small, dark, angular eyes and wears a black blazer-like a man's suit-and jeans. It is only when she turns to close the door that I see a tattoo on the back of her neck, a black and white hawk with a red eye. If I didn't feel like my heart had migrated to my throat. It must signify something."**

"Why are you so curious, young lady? It is none of your business, the last time I checked." Marcus tells her with an edge to his voice that Mr. Prior did not catch as he agreed with him.

"Yes, Beatrice. I thought your mother and I taught you better?" Mr. Prior says, using the voice he usually uses for debates. Mrs. Prior strokes his arm.

"Curiosity can't be helped. Just be glad she didn't ask." she says, soothing her husband.

"Er- yes." he responds.

**Mirrors cover the inner walls of the room. I can see my reflection from all angles: the gray fabric obscuring the shape of my back, my log neck, my knobby-knuckled hands, red with a blood blush. The ceiling glows white with light. In the center of the room is a reclined chair, like a dentist's with a machine next to it. It looks like a place where terrible things happen.**

"I never knew you were afraid of dentists, Tris!" Chrstina exclaimed. Tris rolls her eyes.

"I'm not. I was just really, _really_ nervous." she says, emphasizing the second really.

"Oh. OK."

**"Don't worry," the woman says, "it doesn't hurt." Her hair is black and straight , but in the light, it is streaked with gray.**

"Have a seat and get comfortable," she says. "My name is Tori."

"She's a nice woman. One of my closer friends." Four states.

"You have friends?" Peter looks at him bewildered.

"Of course, I do. I do have a life outside of teaching." he responds casually.

**Clumsily I sit in the chair and recline, putting my head on the headrest.**

"What else would you do with a headrest?" Will jokes, pouting when Tris ignored him.

**"The light hurt my eyes. Tori busies herself with the machine on my right. I try to focus on her and not on the wires in her hands.**

"Why the hawk?" I blurt out as she attaches an electrode to my forehead.

"Never met a curious Abnegation before," she says, raising an eyebrow at me. I shiver, and goose bumps appear on my arms. My curiosity is a mistake, a betrayal of Abnegation values."

"It really shouldn't be that way." Caleb says. Mr. Prior and Marcus gasp in shock. "I mean, knowledge is good too, because if everyone is selfless all the time, then where do we end up? We'll be stuck that way, giving and giving , but the offers will be denied because everyone is selfless." he finishes his explanation. Riley murmurs something, then goes back to sleep.

"That makes sense. Some of Abnegation is selfish too. If they weren't, they wouldn't be in a high rank of government." Eric says, mistaking Caleb's explanation as an insult towards Abnegation.

"I didn't mean it that-" Caleb didn't get the chance to finish as Christina started reading, wanting to eat.

**Humming a little, she presses another electrode to my forehead and explains, "In some parts of the ancient world, the hawk symbolized the sun. Back when I got this, I figured if I always had the sun on me, I wouldn't be afraid of the dark."**

**I try to stop myself from asking another question, but I can't help it.**

**"You're afraid of the dark?"**

**"I _was _afraid of the dark," she corrects me. She presses the next electrode to her own forehead, and attaches a wire to it. She shrugs, "Now it reminds me of the fear I've overcome."**

**She stands behind me. I squeeze the armrests so tightly the redness pulls away from my knuckles. She tugs the wires towards her, attaching them to me, to her, to the machine behind her. Then she passes me a vial of clear liquid.**

**"Drink this," she says.**

**"What is it?" My throat feels swollen. I swallow hard. "What's going to happen?"**

**"Can't tell you that. Just trust me." I press air from my lungs and tip the contents of the vial into my mouth. My eyes close."**

Mrs. Prior smiles at her daughter, wondering what she did in her aptitude test. Meanwhile, Tris eyes her father, who is sitting in a rigid position, not really wanting to know what she did, because whatever she did, made her choose Dauntless. Christina and Will are also excited. Four was listening attentively, wondering what the scrawny Abnegation did to choose Dauntless. The rest... they couldn't care less.

**When they open, an instant has passed, but I am somewhere else. I stand in the school cafeteria again, but all the long tables are empty, and I see through the glass walls that it's snowing. On the table in front of me are two baskets. In one is a hunk of cheese, and in the other is a knife the length of my forearm. Behind me, a woman's voice says, "Choose."**

"Why?" I ask.

"What?" was chorused all around the room, Eric the loudest. He was staring to have suspicions.

"I wanted to know why I had to." Tris answers casually. They eye her warily as she plead to Christina to keep reading. She does just that.

**"Choose," she repeats. I look over my shoulder, but no one is there. I turn back to the baskets. "What will I do with them."**

"Are you serious? Just do it!" Zeke says incredulously.

"I already did this." Tris replies.

**"Choose!" she yells.**

**When she screams at me, my fear disappears and stubbornness replaces it. I scowl and cross my arms.**

**"Have it your way," she says. The baskets disappear-"**

"WHAT?!" was repeated again, this time louder. Mrs. Prior looks at her in shock. As do Marcus and Mr. Prior. Four stiffens, having done the same for his aptitude test. Will, Christina, Al, Peter, Marlene, Zeke and Uriah look at her like she grew two more heads. Tris shifts in her seat. Caleb was confused. How did she manage to get into Dauntless? Then what had Riley say? "_The first lucky people to read about their main character is the people of Divergent."_ No way. She couldn't be. Eric came to the same conclusion and grinned sinisterly. Riley, seeing this, made sure to not invite Jeanine until the second book. She took the book from Chrstina and started reading, snapping everyone out of their thoughts, with Christina shouting: "HEY!" **  
**

* * *

**[A/N: Going to update the rest tonight. Took this long, because I had to get a new copy yesterday. :p**

* * *

**The baskets disappear. I hear a door squeak and turn to see who it is. I see not a 'who' but a 'what': A dog with a pointed nose stands a few yards away from me. It crouches low and creeps towards me, its lip peeling back from its white teeth. A growl gurgles from deep in its throat, and now I see why the cheese would've come in handy. Or the knife. But it's too late now.**

"See, this is why you should've chosen when that voice told you to." Marlene says. She was really interested to find out how she got out of this mess.

"I'll try to remember." Tris responds.

**I think about running, but the dog will be faster than me. I can't wrestle it to the ground. My head pounds. I have to make a decision. If I can jump over one of the tables and use it as a shield-no, I am too short to jump over the tables, and not strong enough to tip one over. The dog snarls and I can almost feel the sound vibrating in my skull.**

**My biology textbook said that dogs can smell fear because of a chemical secreted by human glands in a state of duress, the same chemical a dog's prey secretes. Smelling fear leads them to attack. The dog inches towards me, its nails scraping the floor. I can't run. I can't fight. Instead, I breathe in the smell of the dog's foul breath and try not to think about what it just ate. There are no whites in its eyes, just a black gleam.**

**What else do I know about dogs? I shouldn't look it in the eye. That's a sign of aggression. I remember asking my father for a pet dog when I was young, and now, staring at the ground in front of the dog's paws, I can't remember why.**

"Ah... one part of my childhood ruined." Tris sighs dramatically.

"I remember that time." Caleb chuckles. "You were all: 'Oh, Daddy, can I pleeeeasssseeee have a dog? Please? Ohhh pleeaasse?'" Caleb says in a high and girly voice.

"I did not!" Tris huffed and glared at her brother. Everyone was chuckling, even Peter and Eric. After a couple of minutes, Christina began to read again.

**"It comes closer, still growling. If staring into its eyes is a sign of aggression, then what is a sign of submission? My breaths are loud and steady. I sink into my knees. The last thing I want to do is lie down on the ground in front of the dog-my face level with its face- but it's the best option I have. I stretch my legs out behind me and lean on my elbows. The dog creeps closer, and closer, until I feel its warm breath on my face. My arms are shaking. It barks in my ear, and I have to clench my teeth to keep from screaming.**

**Something rough and wet touches my cheek. The dog's growling stops, and when I lift my head to look at it again, it is panting. It licked my face. I frown and sit on my heels. The dog props it paws up on my knees and licks my chin. I cringe wiping the drool from my skin, and laugh.**

"I remember now. That part of my childhood is restored." Tris sighs happily. Caleb chuckles, still remembering the time when Tris begged for a dog. This went unnoticed by Tris, although Susan was looking at him weirdly. He blushed and Mrs. Prior had to suppress the urge to coo.

**"You're not such a vicious beast, huh?" I get up slowly so I don't startle it, but it seems like a different animal than the one that faced me a few seconds ago. I stretched out a hand, carefully, so I can draw it back if I need to. The dog nudges my hand with its head. I am suddenly glad I didn't choose the knife.**

**I blink, and when my eyes open, a child stands across the room wearing a white dress. She stretched out both hands and squeals, "Puppy!"**

"Huh? I never got that one." Will says, looking confused. Most of the room agreed with him.

"It's probably because you killed it." Caleb says, knowingly.

"That makes sense." Will says.

**"As she runs toward the dog at my side, I open my mouth to warn her, but I am too late. The dog turns. Instead of growling, it barks and snarls and snaps and its muscles bunch up like coiled. About to pounce. I don't think, I just jump; I hurl my body on top of the dog, wrapping my arms around its thick neck. My head hits the ground. The dog is gone, and so is the little girl. Instead, I am alone-in the testing room, now empty. I turn in a slow circle and can't see myself in any of the mirrors.**

"OH MY GOSH! TRIS IS A VAMPIRE!" Christina shouts.

"What?" the room chorused, except Riley.

"A vampire is a half man half bat. They are blood lust and when in front of a mirror, they cannot see themselves, since they have no reflection." Riley answers groggily, since Christina managed to wake her up.

"Oh." they responded. Christina continued reading, and Riley continued sleeping..

**I push the doors open and walk into the hallway, but it isn't a hallway; it's a bus, and all the seats are taken. I stand in the aisle and hold on to a pole. Sitting near me is a man with a newspaper. I can't see his face over the top of the paper, but I can see his hands. They are scarred, like he was burned, and they clench around the paper like he wants to crumple it.**

**"Do you know this guy?" he asks. He taps the picture on the front page of the newspaper. The headline reads: 'Brutal Murder Finally Apprehended!' I stare at the word "murderer". It has been a long time since I last red that word, but even its shape fills me with dread.**

**In the picture beneath the headline is a young man with a plain face and a beard. I feel like I do know him, though I don't remember how. And at the same time, I feel like it would be a bad idea to tell the man that.**

**"Well?" I hear anger in his voice. "Do you?" A bad idea-no, a very bad idea. My heart pounds and I clutch the pole to keep my hands from shaking, form giving me away. If I tell him I know the man in the article, something awful will happen to me. But I can convince him that I don't. I can clear my throat and shrug my shoulders-but that would be a lie.**

**I clear my throat.**

**"Do you?" he repeats. I shrug my shoulders.**

**"Well?"**

**A shudder goes through me. My fear is irrational: this is just a test, it isn't real. "Nope," I say my voice casual. "No idea who he is."**

**He stands, and finally I see his face. He wears dark sunglasses and his mouth bent into a snarl. His cheek is rippled with scars, like his hands. He leans close to my face. His breath smells like cigarettes. _Not real,_ I remind myself. _Not real._**

**"You're lying," he says. "You're lying!"**

**"I am not."**

**"I can see it in your eyes."**

**I pull myself up straighter. "You can't."**

**"If you know him," he said in a low voice, "you could save me.** **You could save me!"**

**I narrow my eyes. "Well," I say. I set my jaw. "I don't."**

"And on that happy note, you lot can go chit-chat while the adults and I cook." Riley says, and immediately Four, Zeke and Uriah go hang out. Eric sits alone to brood. Same goes to Peter. Al, Christina and Will went to a corner to chat. Caleb, Robert and Tris talk to each other in the corner. Susan is left behind.

"Hey, Susan!" Riley calls out.

"Yeah?" Susan replies.

"Want to help cook?"

"Sure." she smiles and the two girls walk to the kitchen. Marcus and Mr. and Mrs. Prior were already cutting the vegetables to make stew.

**[A/N: FINALLY DONE THE CHAPPIE! Going to update the chats and whatnot before 3rd chapter of Divergent. You don't have to review, favourite or follow. Just reading it would be great. :) See you!]**


	4. Divergent Bonus

**[A/N: Hello! Anyway, thank you for following Addie 99 and Tobias22 :) None of the Divergent trilogy is mine since I do not have the imagination she had to create the series. Happy reading:)** **BTW, Marlene is with Four's group. Forgot her for a moment.]**

_"And on that happy note, you lot can go chit-chat while the adults and I cook." Riley says, and immediately Four, Marlene, Zeke and Uriah go hang out. Eric sits alone to brood. Same goes to Peter. Al, Christina and Will went to a corner to chat. Caleb, Robert and Tris talk to each other in the corner. Susan is left behind._

_"Hey, Susan!" Riley calls out._

_"Yeah?" Susan replies._

_"Want to help cook?"_

_"Sure." she smiles and the two girls walk to the kitchen. Marcus and Mr. and Mrs. Prior were already cutting the vegetables to make stew._

* * *

With Tris, Caleb and Robert

"I seriously do not know why we have to do this." Tris groaned.

"Well, it probably has something to do with the Erudite attacking the Abnegation." Caleb says. Tris turned to him, suddenly furious.

"How long have you been planning to be in Erudite?!" Tris whisper-shouted. Robert nodded.

"You really surprised us, choosing Erudite. Only Susan expected it." he says. Tris caught this.

"You mean, you tell one of our close neighbors, but you wouldn't even tell your. own. sister?" she said, her voice dangerously low.

"I didn't, Bea- Tris. She just knew." Caleb said, with as much confidence he could get, since right now his sister was scary. Tris glared at him.

"We're not done talking about this." Then she sat down with Robert on the floor, ready to change the subject. Caleb also sits down reluctantly. They start exchanging stories until the food was cooked.

* * *

With Four, Marlene, Zeke and Uriah

"Well, what do you guys think?" Four asks them as they sat down.

"It's pretty cool." Uriah shrugs.

"But her aptitude test was weird, huh?" Zeke says. Marlene nodded along with him.

"Yeah... I wonder how she got Abnegation on her test results." Four muttered to himself, forgetting for a moment that the other 3 were with him.

"What? I thought she would get Dauntless! Did you see, er hear how she handled the first test?" Marlene says, shock in her voice.

"Something's not adding up." Four muttered again.

"Well, it's from her point of view, we'll find out." Uriah says. "Now let's talk about something else."

"Sure." they talk about their own Choosing Ceremonies until they couldn't think of anything to talk about and stayed in silence.

* * *

With Christina, Will and Al

"OK. Annoying Erudite and fellow Candor...right?" Christina says, gesturing to each of them. Al looked frustrated that she couldn't remember and Will looked miffed about being the 'Annoying Erudite.'

"Yeah." Al replies.

"You do realize that I have a name?" Will asked. Christina rolled her eyes disbelievingly.

"Of course, I do. It's just a nickname."

"Just a nickname?" he repeated. " I don't think nicknames come with adjectives."

"Guys, guys." Al said frantic, trying to calm them down.

"Like you could come up with something better?"

"Any nickname is better than yours."

"You're ON!" Christina growled and Will glared.

"Guys!" Al groaned as they came up with nicknames, getting more insulting as they go on.

* * *

In the Kitchen

"Is this what you do for a living?" Susan asks, as she mashed the potatoes for the side dish.

"Do what for a living?" Riley asks, stirring the stew in the pot.

"You know, show people their future."

"Nah, this is my first mission. You wouldn't believe how confused I was." Riley chuckled. Susan went on to chopping the carrots, then putting them in the pot.

"I wonder when Tris would give Robert and I a proper introduction." Susan said, her eyes wandering up to the ceiling, which made her cut herself.

"Maybe next chapter. Anyway, let me handle the cutting. Go wash up that cut."

"Thanks." Susan smiled and went to the washroom.

* * *

Soon, they finished the stew and other dishes and went to set up the table. The smell made all the boys stomach grumble. The girls rolled their eyes as they went over. After all that was done, they went back to their sitting orders. Will picked up the book and flipped to the right page, making sure that Christina "accidently" got shoved into Tris' arm. He smiled innocently when she glared.

"Chapter 3." he said.

"You need work on your chapter titles." Marlene said. "They're boring!" She faked a yawn. Tris rolled her eyes. Riley was looking at them tiredly.

"You don't have to-" Tris said, getting interrupted by Riley.

"Yes, I do. It's after your aptitude test. Chaos might happen." she countered.

"Fine." Will started reading as Riley tried not to sleep.

* * *

**[A/N: DONNEE! TWO CHAPPIES! ANOTHER ONE AND A HALF TOMMOROW!] **


	5. Divergent: Third Chapter

**A/N: Thank you for the people who followed and favourite and reviewed. I don't want a long A/N right now so... DISCLAIMER! I don't have enough imagination that Veronica Roth has to create the series.**

* * *

_Soon, they finished the stew and other dishes and went to set up the table. The smell made all the boys stomach grumble. The girls rolled their eyes as they went over. After all that was done, they went back to their sitting orders. Will picked up the book and flipped to the right page, making sure that Christina "accidently" got shoved into Tris' arm. He smiled innocently when she glared._

_"Chapter 3." he said._

_"You need work on your chapter titles." Marlene said. "They're boring!" She faked a yawn. Tris rolled her eyes. Riley was looking at them tiredly._

_"You don't have to-" Tris said, getting interrupted by Riley._

_"Yes, I do. It's after your aptitude test. Chaos might happen." she countered._

_"Fine." Will started reading as Riley tried not to_ sleep.

**"I wake up to sweaty palms and a pang of guilt in my chest. I am lying in the chair in the mirrored room. When I tilt my head back, I see Tori behind me. She pinches her lips together and remove electrodes from our heads. I wait for her to say something about the test-that it's over, or I did well, although how could I do poorly on a test like this?-**

"That's what I was about to say." Christina pouted.

"I know, that's why I kept reading." Will replied, still angry from the nickname contest.

**"but she says nothing, just pulls the wires from my forehead. I sit forward and wipe my palms off my slacks. I had to have done something wrong, even if it only happened in my mind. Is that strange look on Tori's face because she doesn't know how to tell me what a horrible person I am?**

"Aren't you just a big ray of sunshine, Stiff." Peter mocked.

"Save your breath, I'm not going to get offended." Tris shot back.

"Wasn't counting on it."

"Sureee you weren't." Tris said, her words dripping in sarcasm.

**I wish she would just come out with it.**

**"That," she says, "was perplexing. Excuse me, I'll be right back." Perplexing?**

"She can't do that! She's changing the records!" Eric shouted. Riley gave Tris a look that say 'I-told-you-so.'

"Technically, she can." Four says.

"No, she can't."

"Can I keep reading?!" Will asks irritated. He wanted to finish this chapter already.

"Fine." Four says, still glaring at Eric.

**I bring my knees to my chest and bury my face in them, I wish I felt like crying, because the tears might bring me a sense of release, but I don't. How can you fail a test you weren't allowed to prepare for? As the moments pass, I get more nervous. I have to wipe off my hands every few seconds as the sweat collects-or maybe I just do it because it helps me feel calmer. What if they tell me I'm not cut out for any faction? I would have to live on the streets, with the factionless. I can't do that. To live factionless is not just to live in poverty and discomfort; it is to live divorcedfrom society, separated from the most important thing in life: community.**

"I don't think it's possible for anyone to be factionless." Riley says.

"Actually you can." Zeke counters.

"How?"

"Well, some people choose to change who they are on purpose. Like if you are brave, that means you are meant for Dauntless, but if you ignore the bravery, you might not belong in any faction."

"That's their choice though. That's why you're not allowed to prepare for the test. If Tris knew ahead of time, about the baskets, she might've done something to change her records, but that doesn't mean that, that is her trait. She would've forced herself to do it." Tris coughs awkwardly. Riley looks at her and sighs.

"Fine. Let's continue." Will smiles and reads.

**My mother told me once that we can't survive alone, but even if we could, we wouldn't want to. Without a faction, we have no purpose and no reason to live. I shake my head. I can't think like this. I have to stay calm. Finally, the door opens, and Tori walks back in. I grip the arms of the chair.**

**"Sorry to worry you." Tori says. She stands by my feet with her hands in my pockets. She looks tense and pale.**

**"Beatrice, your test results were inconclusive."**

There was a roar of outrage from Eric.

"What?! THE STIFF IS A DIVERGENT?! SHE SHOULD BE PERISHED!" Mrs. Prior stood in front of him as he made his way towards Tris.

"Oh no, you don't. You have to get through me if you want to hurt her." she said in a low and dangerous voice.

"No need to. We'll just handcuff him to the doorknob beside him." Riley says in a calm voice. Her eyes were alarmed though. Eric sat back down and did just that. She also put duct tape over his mouth . Then she went back to her seat.

"Why didn't you tell me, Beatrice?" Her mother asked.

"I wasn't allowed to." she responded, quietly, still scared of Eric's outrage.

"All those rules you bend and you couldn't do this one?" she asked. Caleb had to supress the urge to laugh, which made Robert and Susan give him a strange look. He shook his head as Mrs. Prior came back, satisfied with whatever Tris gave her for an answer. Will started to read.

**she says, "Typically, each stage of the simulation eliminated one or more of the factions, but in your case, only two have been ruled out."**

I stare at her. "Two?" I ask. My throat is so tight it's hard to talk.

**"If you had shown an automatic distaste for the knife, and selected the cheese, the simulation would have led you to a different scenario that confirmed your aptitude for Amity. That didn't happen which is why Amity is out." Tori scratches the back of her neck. "Normally, the simulation progresses in a linear fashion, isolating one faction by ruling out the rest. The choices you made didn't even allow Candor, the next possibility to be ruled out, so I had to alter the simulation to put you on the bus. And your insistence upon dishonesty ruled out Candor." She half smiles, "Don't worry about that. Only the Candor tell the truth in that one."**

"Did you two tell the truth?" Tris asks Al and Christina. They both shake their heads.

"Oh, OK."

**One of the knots in my chest loosens. Maybe I'm not an awful person.**

**"I suppose that's not entirely true. The people who tell the truth are the Candor... and the Abnegation." she says, "Which gives us a problem." My mouth falls open.**

**"On the one hand, you threw yourself on the dog, rather than let it attack the little girl, which is an Abnegation-oriented response... but on the other, when the man told you that the truth can save him, you still refused to tell it. Not an Abnegation-oriented response." She sighs. "Not running from the dog suggests Dauntless, but so does taking the knife, which you didn't do."**

**She clears her throat and continues. "Your intelligent response to the dog indicates strong alignment with the Erudite. I have no idea what to make of your indecision to stage one, but-**

**"Wait," I interrupt her.**

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Caleb mutters.

"What?" Tris asks him.

"Don't you know that interrupting people is NOT an Abnegation-oriented response." Everyone except the adults laughed with him. Tris rolled her eyes and gestured Will to keep reading.

**"So you have no idea what my aptitude is?"**

**"Yes and no. My conclusion," she explains, "is that you display equal aptitude for Abnegation, Dauntless and Erudite. People who get this kind of result are..." She looks over her shoulder like she expects someone to appear behind her. "...are called... Divergent." She says the word so quietly that I almost don't her it, and her tense, worried look returns. She walks around the side of the chair and leans in close to me.**

**"Beatrice," she says, "under no circumstances should you share this information with anyone. This is very important."**

**"We aren't supposed to share our results." I nod. "I know that."**

**"No." Tori kneels next to the chair now and places her arms on the armrest. Our faces are inches apart. "This is different. I don't men you shouldn't tell them now; I mean you should never share them with anyone, ever, no matter what happens. Divergence is extremely dangerous. You understand?"**

Mrs. Prior laid her head on her husband's shoulder. Beatrice should've told her. She would've understood. Being one herself. Mr. Prior looks over to his wife, wondering what she was thinking about. They might be married, but he knew she was hiding something.

**"I don't understand-how could inconclusive test results be dangerous?"**

Will looked up at Tris like she was insane and answered for her: "It's dangerous because people like Eric," he gestured to him. "want to kill you. Especially Erudite." Tris' shocked face was nothing compared to Caleb's gob-smacked face. His faction wanted to kill his sister?

"Er- yeah, thanks Will." She looked over to the couch where Peter was sitting... alone.

"Hey, Riley?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Where is Zeke, Uriah and Marlene?"

"Oh. I had to send them back. They can't know what happens in the rest of the series." she explains.

"'Kay."

**"-but I still nod. I don't want to share my test results anyway.**

**"Okay." I peel my hands from the arms of the chair and stand. I feel unsteady.**

**"I suggest," Tori says, "that you go home. You have a lot of thinking to do, and waiting with the others may not benefit you."**

**"I have to tell my brother where I'm going."**

**"I'll let him know."**

**I touch my forehead and stare at the floor as I walk out of the room. I can't bear to look her in the eye. I can't bear to think about the Choosing Ceremony. It's my choice now, no matter what the test says.**  
**Abnegation. Dauntless. Erudite.**  
**Divergent.**

**I decide not to take the bus. If I get home early, my father will notice when he checks the house log at the end of the day, and I'll have to explain what happened.**

This time, Mr. Prior frowned. That was true, no doubt. He just wasn't used to his children lying to him and hiding secrets.

**Instead I walk. I'll to intercept Caleb before he mentions anything to our parents, but Caleb can keep a secret. I walk in the middle of the road. The buses to tend to hug the curb, so it's safer here. Sometimes, on the streets near my house I can see places where the yellow house used to be. We have no use for them now that there are so few cars. We don't need stoplights either, but in some places they dangle precariously over the road like they might crash down any minute.**

"They should really fix that. Some people can get killed." Marcus said. Four mentally scoffed. Of course he'd think that. He needed to keep up his cover. This gave Eric an idea for the initiation test.

**Renovation moves slowly through the city, which is a patchwork of new, clean buildings and old, crumbling ones. Most of the new buildings are next to the marsh, which used to be a lake a long time ago. The Abnegation volunteer agency my mother works for is responsible for most of the renovations.**

Mrs. Prior straightened when that was mentioned. She was proud of her job after all.

**When I look at the Abnegation lifestyle as an outsider, I think it's beautiful. When I watch my family move in harmony; when we go to dinner parties and everyone cleans afterward without being asked; when I see Caleb help strangers carry their groceries, I fall in love with this life all over again.**

"Awwwwww." Susan and Mrs. Prior couldn't help cooing. Tris blushed. Caleb laughed at her reaction and Mr. Prior reprimanded him.

**"It's only when I try to live it that I have trouble. It never feels genuine."**

At this, The Prior family stopped and looked at Tris. Mr. Prior was thinking how ridiculous that was, while Mrs. Prior felt responsible for it. She had come from the faction her daughter was currently in. Caleb couldn't help thinking about how he acted. At least the way she acted showed how she genuinely felt. He just acted it all out. He loved his family, but he also wanted to seek knowledge. Tris shifted in her seat, suddenly finding the dull brown paint of the floor interesting.

**"But choosing a different faction means I forsaken my family. Permanently.**

**Just past the Abnegation sector of the city is the stretch of building skeletons and broken sidewalks that I now walk through."**

Riley flinched. That was where her older sister moved in with her boyfriend all those years ago, (or in her case, being from the 20th century. A month ago.) It was sad to see what Chicago would become, but then remembered Panem then flinched again.

"Hey, you OK?" Robert asked. He saw her flinching and wondered why.

"Nothing, just thinking. Keep reading." Will didn't need to be told that.

**There are places where the road has completely collapsed, revealing sewer systems and empty subways that I have to be careful to avoid, and places that stink so powerfully of sewage and trash that I have to plug my nose.**

**This is where the factionless live. Because they failed to complete initiation into whatever faction they chose, they live in poverty, doing the work no one else wants to do. They are janitors and construction workers and garbage collectors;**

Everybody felt a pang of sadness at this. Most of them wrinkled their noses at the thought of the jobs.

"I wonder what would happen if we never had factions..." Caleb thought aloud.

"Dunno." Tris said. "But something bad must've happened if they created the factions. The factions are for peace."

"If there wasn't so many people who twisted the words and used it for wrong, yeah the factions would be useful." Four said icily, glaring at Eric who glared back, still struggling against the handcuffs. The rest shrugged, and Will read.

**"they make fabric and operate trains and drive buses."**

At this Riley started laughing. Everyone was confused.

"What?" They chorused.

"It's just that my younger cousin always wanted to drive a train." She said, once she had calmed down. Everybody got it although it was people who weren't from Abnegation or wasn't Eric who started laughing. At this point of time, driving trains was supposed to be a servant's job, since that was what the factionless technically was, although instead for one person, an entire used-to-be state. Will had calmed down and started reading.

**"In return for their work they get food and clothing, but, as my mother says, not enough of either. I see a factionless man standing on the corner ahead. He wears ragged brown clothing and skin sags from his jaw. He stares at me, and I stare back at him, unable to look away.**

**"Excuse me," he says. His voice is raspy. "Do you have something I can eat?"**

**I feel a lump in my throat. A stern voice in my head says,**

_**Duck you head and keep walking.**_

**No. I shake my head. I should not be afraid of this man. He needs help and I am supposed to help him.**

Tris grimaced a bit. He could still feel the man's bony hand on her wrist. Mrs. Prior looks worriedly at her, while Mr. Prior smiled. His daughter had some Abnegation traits after all.

**"Um...yes," I say. I reach into my bag. My father tells me to keep food in my bag at all times for this reason. I offer the man a small bag of dried apple slices. He reaches for them, but instead of taking the bag, his hand closes around my wrist.**

Cue the gasps. Mrs. Prior scurried to her daughter, making sure the man had not left any scars. Christina glares at the book, as does the Prior males and Al. Marcus was livid at the thought of a fellow person being touched by the factionless. Riley rolled her eyes, which she seemed to be her 'role' at these times. If they were going to act like this when a man touches her wrist. Imagine their reaction at the throwing knives incident. Once Mrs. Prior mad absolutely sure that there were no scars, she went back to her seat and Will continued reading.

**"He smiles at me. He has a gap between his front teeth.**

"My, don't you have pretty eyes," he says. "It's a shame the rest of you is so plain." My heart pounds. I tug my hand back, but his grip tightens. I smell something acrid and unpleasant on his breath.

**"You look a little young to be walking around by yourself, dear." he says.**

**I stop tugging, and stand up straighter. I know I look young; I don't need to be reminded. "I'm older than I look," I retort. "I'm sixteen."**

"Stupid!" Four shouts. "You should've said seventeen."

"You do realize that shouting at my past self won't help, right?" Tris asks. Four blushes.

"Er... yeah."

Will bit a laugh before reading.

**His lips spread wide, revealing a grey molar with a dark pit in the side. I can't tell if he's smiling or grimacing.**

**"Then isn't today a special day for you? The day before you _choose?_"**

**"Let go of me." I say. I hear ringing in my ears. My voice sounds clear and stern-not what I expected to hear. It feels like it doesn't belong to me. I am ready. I know what to do. I picture myself bringing my elbow back and hitting him. I see the bag of dried apples flying away from me.**

"Wow, who knew the little Stiff could be tough." Peter mocked.

"Tougher than you would be in that particular situation, I bet." Tris mocks right back. Christina grins and hi fives her. Peter growled.

**I hear my running footsteps. I am prepared to act. But then, he releases my wrist, takes the apples and says, "Choose wisely, little girl."**

"CHAPTER'S DONE!" Will shouts childishly. He passes the book to Al. Tris still looked put out that she couldn't read her own thoughts.

"You can read Chapter 12." Riley says, grinning at what was in that chapter.

"Yay!" Tris said like a little kid receiving a lollipop. She would regret that.

Al starts to read: **"Chapter 4"**

[A/N: Guess what chapter is in Chapter 12! She's going to be blushing sooo much. Sorry, I just ship Fourtris way too much.]


	6. Divergent: Fourth Chapter

******A/N: Thank you for the** **people**** who followed and favourite and reviewed. I don't want a long A/N right now so... DISCLAIMER! I don't have enough imagination that Veronica Roth has to create the series. The quartet is Tris, Christina, Al and Will.**

* * *

_"CHAPTER'S DONE!" Will shouts childishly. He passes the book to Al. Tris still looked put out that she couldn't read her own thoughts._

_"You can read Chapter 12." Riley says, grinning at what was in that chapter._

_"Yay!" Tris said like a little kid receiving a lollipop. She would regret that._

_Al starts to read: **"Chapter**_** 4"**

* * *

**I reach my street five minutes before I usually do, according to my watch-which is the only adornment Abnegation allows and only because it's practical.**

"Imagine out lives without watches?" Susan asks.

"Horrible. Simply horrible." Caleb shakes his head. Will looks at them weirdly. In Erudite, he could barely live without his books. He found it weird that they were complaining about not having watches. Al chuckles a bit before reading.

**It has a gray band and a glass face. If I tilt it right, I can almost see my reflection over the hands.**

"Why thank you, Captain Obvious. We didn't know that." Christina says, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"Your welcome, Christina." Tris says, bowing in her direction. Everyone except Eric- whose mouth was still duct taped- was laughing.

"OK, let's continue reading, I want to get to Tris' chapter quickly." Riley says, smirking. Tris shot up and gave her undivided attention to the book at this.

**The houses on my street are all the same size and shape. They are made of gray cement, with a few windows, in economical, no-nonsense rectangles. Their lawns are crabgrass and their mailboxes are dull metal. To some the sight may be gloomy,**

"To _some?" _Peter asked. "It is gloomy, Stiff."

Christina glared while Tris shrugged indifferently. That particular insult doesn't do its job anymore, being used so much.

Al smirked as he read ahead a few lines.

**but to me their simplicity is comforting.**

"You're mental." was the only thing Peter was able to say. The quartet rolled their eyes.

**The reason for the simplicity isn't disdain for uniqueness, as the other factions have sometimes interpreted it. Everything-our houses, our clothes, our hairstyles- is meant to help us forget ourselves and to protect us from vanity, greed and envy, which are just forms of selfishness.**

"What happened to Tris, then?" Robert asked teasingly. Tris stuck out her tongue at him, which just made him roll his eyes.

"Oh, very mature."

"Speak for yourself." Tris said.

"I am very mature, thank you very much."

"Whatever." Everybody was laughing by now, and you can tell that even Eric was smirking under the tape.

**If we have little, and want for little, and we are all equal, we envy no one. I try to love it.**

Eyebrows were raised at this statement.

"What? I'm different. That's all. I couldn't be selfless if I tried." Tris said. Riley rolled her eyes, while people were accepting the statement. Everyone in this room had a glimpse of how she lived her life. Selflessness was a small part.

"Puh-lease. I don't want to be rude, but I don't think you're going to act selfless if you keep forcing yourself to." Riley said.

"I guess so." Tris muttered. "Anyway, let's keep reading." Al did so at once.

**I sit on the front step and wait for Caleb to arrive. It doesn't take long. After a minute I see gray-robed forms walking down the street. I hear laughter. At school, we try not to draw attention to ourselves, but once we're home the games and jokes start. My natural tendency towards sarcasm is still not appreciated. Sarcasm is always at someone's expense. Maybe it's better that Abnegation wants me to suppress it. Maybe I don't have to leave my family. Maybe if I fight to make Abnegation work, my act will become a reality.**

"Maybe not." Tris says, remembering Riley's previous statement.

"When can we eat?" Christina and Peter asked. Then they looked at each other in disgust.

"We only ate 2 chapters ago. How can you be hungry that quickly?" Susan asks.

"Their stomachs are black holes. They can never be filled." Will joked. Laughter erupted and the two mentioned huffed.

**"Beatrice!" Caleb says. "What happened? Are you all right?"  
**  
Caleb huffed. That wasn't the case at all. Tris smiled at him apologetically.

**"I'm fine." He is with Susan and her brother, Robert, and Susan is giving me a strange look, like I am a different person than the one she knew this morning.**

"Well, the one I knew that morning, always came home with us. Besides, there was nothing wrong with the liquid they gave us." Susan countered.

"Sorry." Tris says.

"It's alright."

**I shrug. "When the test was over, I got sick. Must have been that liquid they gave us. I feel better now, though." I try to smile convincingly. I seem to have convince Susan and Robert who no longer look concern for my mental stability,**

The Black siblings huffed. **[A/N: Is it just me who fangirled when I read that these two had the same last name as Sirius?]**

**but Caleb narrows his eyes at me, the way he does when he suspects someone of duplicity.**

"Your brother would make a great security guard, the way he always suspects people." Four whispers in Tris' ear. She giggles a bit. Caleb narrows his eyes at the two. So does the 2 fathers in the room. Eric was happy that he found something he could scold Four, for later. Mrs. Prior was gushing about how her daughter's finally growing up. The others either didn't care or was oblivious.

**"Did you two take the bus today?" I ask. I don't care how Susan and Robert got home from school, but I need to change the subject.**

"Nice to know, how we got home was a good subject change." Robert says sarcastically.

"Welcome." Tris smiles ignoring the sarcasm.

**"Our father had to work late," says Susan. "and he told us we should spend some time thinking before the ceremony tomorrow." My heart pounds at the mention of the ceremony.**

**"You're welcome to come over later, if you'd like." Caleb says politely.**

**"Thank you." Susan smiles at Caleb. Robert raises an eyebrow at me. He and I have been exchanging looks for the past year as Susan and Caleb flirt in the tentative way known only to Abnegation.**

Mrs. Prior squealed and hugged her son tight, cooing at him, not noticing the glare he was giving Tris who was smiling at him as to say: _How was I suppose to know my thoughts were to be read?_ Susan blushes then swats Robert who was chuckling at their embarrassment. Al smiles but soon gets to reading again.

**Caleb's eyes follow Susan down the walk.**

"Ooooh. Like what you see?" Will teases as Caleb's face reddens. Susan raises her eyebrow at him, her face reddening to a shade as dark as Riley's hair.

"I did not stare." Caleb grumbles.

"Suuure." Christina responds.

"Al, please?" Susan pleads. Al rolls his eyes and stats reading.

**I have to grab his arm to startle him from his daze. I lead him into the house and close the door behind us. He turns to me. His dark, straight eyebrows draw together so that a crease appears between them. When he frowns, he looks more like my mother than our father. In an instant I can see him living the same kind of life my father did: staying in Abnegation, learning a trade, marrying Susan and having a family.**

"I don't care if I have to make you factionless, but that WILL happen." Mrs. Prior tells her son. Caleb groans and Susan involuntarily grins, which was something Robert didn't miss.

"Already planning your kids' names?" he asked. Then he moaned, for his sister has swatted him twice now.

**It will be wonderful. I may not see it.**

"Are you going to tell me the truth now? he asks softly.

"The truth is," I say,

Everyone but Caleb, Tris and Riley sit forward, wanting to see her answer. Caleb fumed, remembering her answer, and Riley read another book from her bag. What it was, no one knew or cared.

**"I'm not supposed to discuss it, and you're not supposed to ask."**

Laughter erupted at her response. They could imagine the incredulous look Caleb gave her then.

**"All those rules you bend, and you can't bend this one? Not even for something as this important?" His eyebrows tug together, and he bites the corner of his lip. Though his words are accusatory, its sound like he was probing me for information- like he actually wants the answer. I narrow my eyes.**

"Will you? What happened in _your _test, Caleb?"

Our eyes meet. I hear a train horn, so faint it could easily be wind whistling through an alleyway. But I know it when I hear it. It sounds like the Dauntless, calling me to them.

"Yeah right. We would be damn well better without you." Peter hisses. Almost everyone glared at him. Riley smirked behind the book. She wanted to see Peter's face when he would hear about how he pled for his life.

"I think Dauntless would've been better off without _you_." Tris says, her voice icy. Peter huffed and ignored the comment and the rest of the room. He didn't even know what he was doing in the first place, it was just a book.

**"Just... don't tell our parents, okay?" I say.**

Mr. and Mrs. Prior frowned. They knew what it was for, they just didn't want to believe that their children didn't trust them. Caleb and Tris shifted in their seat.

**His eyes stay on mine for a few seconds, and then he nods. I want to go upstairs and lie down. The test, the walk, and my encounter with the factionless man exhausted me. But my brother made breakfast this morning, and my mother prepared our lunches, and my father made dinner last night, so it's my turn to cook. I breathe deeply and walk into the kitchen and start cooking.**

**A minute later, Caleb joins me. I grit my teeth. He helps with everything. What irritates me most about him is his natural goodness, his inborn selflessness.**

**Caleb and I work together without speaking. I cook peas on the stove. He defrosts four pieces of chicken. Most of what we eat is frozen or canned, because farms these days are far away. My mother told me once that, a long time ago, there were people who wouldn't buy genetically engineered produce because they viewed it unnatural.**

Riley nodded her head. Personally, her family didn't care, but her friend did.

**Now we have no other option. By the time my parents get home, dinner is ready and the table is set. My father drops his bag at the door and kisses my head. Other people see him as an opinionated man-too opinionated, maybe- but he's also loving. I try to see only the good in him; I try.**

"Well, we wouldn't be people if we were complete saints. At least you try." Mr. Prior says. Personally, he didn't care what others said about him. He was just glad he could support his family. Tris smiled back in response.

**"How did the test go?" he asks me. I pour the peas into a serving bowl.**

**"Fine," I say. I couldn't be Candor. I lie too easily.**

"I heard there was some kind of upset with one of the tests." my mother says.

Mrs. Prior frowned. She should've known it was one of her children. She was one after all.

**Like my father, she works for the government, but she manages city improvement projects. She recruited volunteers to administer the aptitude tests. Most of the time, though, she organizes workers to help the factionless with food and shelter and job opportunities.  
**  
"Mom, maybe you should rebuild the damaged parts the factionless reside in." Caleb suggested.

"I should mention that to my boss." she said thoughtfully. Riley smiled. Small and slow changes are being made. She really wasn't counting on it, but I suppose it's better that way... except if they decide to kill Four, Tris and Mrs. Prior by the end of it.

**"Really?" says my father. A problem with the aptitude tests is rare.**

**"I don't know much about it, but my friend Erin told me that something went wrong with one of the tests, so the results had to be reported verbally." My mother places a napkin next to each plate on the table. "Apparently the student got sick and was sent home early." My mother shrugs. "I hope they're all right. Did you two hear anything about that?"**

**"No." Caleb says. He smiles at my mother. My brother couldn't be Candor either. We sit at the table. We always pass food to the right, and no one eats until everyone is served.**

"Christina, Al and Peter wouldn't be able to do it." says Four hearing their grumbles.

"Seriously?" Caleb asks, incredulous. "Couldn't you wait 4 more chapters?"

"Without snacks?" Christina asks.

"No way." Al answers. Peter just nodded along, still trying to ignore them.

"After this chapter." Riley says. "BUT... you only have 5 minutes." All three nodded.

**My father extends his hands to my mother and my brother and they extend their hands to him and me, and my father gives thanks to God for food and work and friends and family. Not every Abnegation family is religious, but my father says we should try not to see those differences because they will only divide us. I am not sure what to make of that.**

**"So," my mother says to my father. "Tell me."**

**She takes my father's hand and moves her thumb in a small circle over his knuckles. I stare at their joined hands. My parents love each other, but they rarely show any affection like this in front of us. They taught us that physical contact is powerful, so I have been wary of it since I was young.**

"Good. Not every form of physical contact is a sign of love." Four mumbles and glares at Marcus. No one notices excepts Tris and Riley. Riley tries to send him a warning look, while Tris looks at him confused.

**"Tell me what's bothering you." she adds. I stare at my plate. My mother's acute senses sometimes surprise me, but now they chide me. Why was I so focused on myself that I didn't notice his deep frown and his sagging posture?**

**"I had a difficult day at work," he says. "Well, really, it was Marcus who had the difficult day. I shouldn't lay claim to it."**

_'I wonder what made my deeear father have such a difficult day at work?' _Four thinks mockingly, as childish as it was. He knew what caused it, and if it weren't for the fact of how exactly the Erudite got that particular piece of information, he would applaud them.

**Marcus is my father's co-worker; they are both political leaders. The city is ruled by a council of fifty people, composed entirely of representatives from Abnegation, because our faction is regarded as incorruptible, due to our commitment for selflessness. Our leaders are selected by their peers for their impeccable character, moral fortitude, and leadership skills. Representatives from each of the factions can speak in the meetings on behalf of a particular issue, but ultimately, the decision is the council's. And while the council technically makes decisions together, Marcus is particularly influential.**

"Wonder why?" Four muttered, glaring at Marcus, more coldly than he ever glared at anybody before. Tris shuffled next to Christina, squishing her.

**It's been this way since the beginning of the great peace, when the factions were formed. I think the system persists because we're afraid of what might happen if it didn't: war.**

**"Is this about the report Jeanine Matthews released?" my mother says. Jeanine Matthews is Erudite's sole representative, selected based on her IQ score.**

"I don't like her." Will says.

"I know right. She's a right old hag isn't she?" Caleb asks.

"Yeah. She is." Will responds. Mrs. Prior starts to reprimand her son.

"Mom, he's not being rude. He's describing her, and that's the opposite of not okay." Tris smirks. The males tried not to laugh, while the rest rolled their eyes in amusement at the look of their faces.

**My father complains about her often.**

**I look up. "A report?" Caleb gives me a warning look.**

"Which you never seem to understand what it meant." Caleb says, singing the last three words. Tris stuck out her tongue at him.

**We aren't suppose to speak at the dinner table unless our parents ask us a direct question, and they usually don't. Our listening ears are a gift to them, my father says. They give us their listening ears after dinner, in the family room.**

**"Yes," my father says. His eyes narrow. "Those arrogant, self-righteous-" He stops and clears his throat.**

"Hey Mr. Prior, you don't think I'm an arrogant, self-righteous whatever, do you?" Will asks.

"N-no of course not. You're a wonderful young child."

"Oh. OK." He grins stupidly, (quite ironic, really) like he just won the lottery.

**"Sorry. But she released a report attacking Marcus' character." I raise my eyebrows.**

_'It wasn't an attack. It was the truth. Stupid public, they're so gullible.'_ Four thinks. Marcus shifts in his seat which go unnoticed by the people sitting beside him.

**"What did it say?" I ask.**

**"Beatrice," Caleb says quietly.**

**I duck my head, turning my fork over and over and over until the warmth leaves my cheeks. I don't like to be chastised. Especially by my brother.**

**"It said," my father says. "that Marcus violence and cruelty towards his son is the reason his son chose Dauntless instead of Abnegation."**

An uproar came from this. They read it, but coming from a co-worker. It made it way more unbelievable. Except for Tris, Riley and Four. Riley and Four knew the truth. Tris had her doubts. She'd seen Four glare at Marcus, and it was full of hate. Obviously, they've met before...maybe. Now that she thought about it. Tobias was probably important to the story, since his father was here. Where was he?

"That is ridiculous. Let me tell you, Mr. Marcus, that is unbelievable. You are quiet, calm man. I can see why they would choose you as their leader. There is absolutely NO way that you would do that to you only son." Christina says. Four frowned. Riley sent her a worried glance from the book she was 'reading'. She would eat her words later.

"Yeah, Mr. Eaton, there is zero chance of that happening." Caleb assures him. Susan and Robert nod in confirmation. He was always fond of Marcus, especially at dinner. Caleb gave Tris his 'go comfort people' look.

"Er-" she cleared her throat. Luckily, not much people caught it. "I don't think you'd hurt your only son... it's inhumane." Four glanced at her. Seeing that there was a chance that she thought maybe the Erudite was right, almost put a smile on his face. Al started reading, when he saw the smile on Mr. Eaton's smile after all those compliments.

**Few people who are born into Abnegation choose to leave it. When the do, we remember. Two year's ago, Marcus' son, Tobias, left us for the Dauntless and Marcus was devastated.**

"Can we skip this part?" Marcus asked.

"No. We will read every part of the book, personal or not. A Candor-like experience, you might say." Riley says. She tries not to sound harsh, but she didn't want to be sympathetic to the guy who couldn't admit the truth.

"I-I understand." Marcus hung his head, and a pang of guilt hit Riley.

**Tobias was his only child- and his only family, since his wife died giving birth to their second child. The infant died minutes later. I never met Tobias. He rarely attended community events and never joined his father for dinner. My father remarked it strange, but now it doesn't matter.**

Four winced a bit at that. It wasn't his decision, he wanted to go, but, Father didn't bring him because he was all hurt.

**"Cruel? Marcus?" My mother shakes her head. "That poor man. As if he needs to be reminded of his loss."**

**"Of his son's betrayal, you mean?" my father says coldly.**

Another wince. _'I probably wouldn't if he never abused me, locked me up and all that. But no, father had to hold a damn grudge.' _He shook his head, when he noticed Tris looking at him concerned.

**"I shouldn't be surprised at this point. The Erudite have been attacking us with all these reports for months. And this isn't the end. There will be more. I guarantee it."**

**I shouldn't speak again, but I can't help myself. I blurt out: "Why are they doing this?"**

**"Why don't you take an opportunity to listen to your father, Beatrice?" my mother says gently. It is phrased like a suggestion, not a command. I look across at Caleb, who has that look of disappointment in his eyes. I stare at my peas. I am not sure I can live this life of obligation any longer. I am not good enough.**

Mrs. Prior stood up and went to hug her only daughter. If she only knew she felt this way. Christina scooched over when Mrs. Prior went back to her spot. Tris sat a little straighter though.

**"You know why," my father says. "Because we have something they want. Valuing knowledge above all else results in a lust of power, and that leads men into dark and empty places. We should be thankful that we know better."**

"That's not true. Look at Albert Einstein. He was the greatest mathematician ever known. Galileo, who was the person who first discovered that the earth was not the middle of the earth. There were a lot of great physicians, mathematicians, professors known all through history. They were seeking knowledge, but they gave us a positive influence. I think you needed to use better wording. It's people who use it for cruelty, is the problem, not valuing knowledge itself." Riley says. She didn't like it when people were like this. Stereotypical. Just because a lot of smart people turned out to be... bad, that didn't mean that everyone was like that.

"Yes. Of course. I was being stereotypical, wasn't I? I apologize to Caleb and Will. It was not in my place to say that." Mr. Prior says. Looking back on it, he was a bit of an unpleasant person back then. Caleb and Will shrug. They didn't care, he was right about the faction. There were a lot of people who had a grudge on Abnegation and turned bad.

**I nod. I know I will not choose Erudite, even though my test result suggested that I could. I am my father's daughter.**

Riley rolled her eyes. Of course.

**My parents clean up after dinner. They don't even let Caleb help them, because we're supposed to keep to ourselves tonight instead of gathering in the family room, so we can think about our test results. My family might be able to help me choose, if I could talk about my results. But I can't. Tori's warning whispers in my memory every time my resolve to keep my mouth shut falters.**

**Caleb and I climb the stairs and, at the top, when we divide to go to our separate bedrooms, he stops me with a hand on my shoulder.**

**"Beatrice, he says, looking sternly into my eyes "We should think of our family." There is an edge to his voice. "But. But we must also think of ourselves."**

**For a moment I stare at him. I have never seen him think of himself, never heard him insist on anything but selflessness. I am so startled by his comment that I just have to say what I am supposed to say: "The tests don't have to change our choices."**

"Not selfless, really now?" Caleb asks.

"It was one moment, you were acting different yourself." Tris answered.

"Yeah, right." Caleb mutters. Tris gestures Al to keep reading.

**He smiles a little. "Don't they, though?" He squeezes my shoulder and walks into his bedroom. I peer into his room and see an unmade bed and a stack of books on his desk.**

Tris facepalms herself. How did she not get the hint?!

**I wish I could tell him that we're going through the same thing. I wish I could speak to him like I want to instead of like I'm supposed to. But the idea of admitting that I need help is too much to bear, so I turn away. I walk into my room, and when I close my door behind me, I realize my decision might be simple. It will require a great act of selflessness to choose Abnegation, or a great act of courage to choose Dauntless, and maybe just choosing one over the other will prove that I belong.**

Riley groaned.

"What?" Tris asks.

"Where I came from, being 16 meant having boyfriends, puberty, school. Now it's so dramatic and life threatening." she answered. A few people laughed.

"Really? Wow, I wish it was still like that now." Christina complained.

"Can I read? There's only one more sentence." Al asked. They nodded.

**Tomorrow, those two qualities will struggle within me, and only one can win.**

"SNACKS!" Christina yelled and went to the kitchen, with Al and Peter following behind. Everyone chuckled.

"Beatrice, does your chapters always end dramatically?" Robert asks.

"It probably will." Tris answered. Susan rolled her eyes. Four was dragged by Riley in a corner.

"Four, you can't tell them you're Tobias. " Riley says.

"How do you know?" Four asks.

"I've read the books before coming here."

"So I tell her?"

"Yep. Just don't tell them."

"Wasn't planning to." he mumbled.

"Oh, yeah? Because it looked like you wanted to shout the truth, earlier." Riley raised her eyebrow.

"Well, what would happen if I did?"

"Eric is going to tell Jeanine. He has to be gone before the end of the book. Besides, Peter's cronies are going to crash in later."

"Oh. And speaking of people coming, where the heck are they?"

"Like I said, they went back."

"So they're safe?"

"Of course they are. Time was frozen remember? Besides, it's not like we cut them or anything."

"Yeah, ok."

"Anyway, we better go, snack time's almost done. "

They walked back, ignoring the suspicious looks that were given and went to their seats. The book was given to Peter, who after many arguments finally agreed to read. Also, Eric was released as long as he swore not to harm anybody in anyway. Peter cleared his throat.

**"Chapter 5." **


	7. Divergent: Fifth Chapter

**A/N: Thank you for whoever followed, favourite and reviewed. :) Disclaimer: Not mine. All things in bold text that does not include A/N: before it is not mine.**

* * *

_"SNACKS!" Christina yelled and went to the kitchen, with Al and Peter following behind. Everyone chuckled._

_"Beatrice, does your chapters always end dramatically?" Robert asks._

_"It probably will." Tris answered. Susan rolled her eyes. Four was dragged by Riley in a corner._

_"Four, you can't tell them you're Tobias. " Riley says._

_"How do you know?" Four asks._

_"I've read the books before coming here."_

_"So I tell her?"_

_"Yep. Just don't tell them."_

_"Wasn't planning to." he mumbled._

_"Oh, yeah? Because it looked like you wanted to shout the truth, earlier." Riley raised her eyebrow._

_"Well, what would happen if I did?"_

_"Eric is going to tell Jeanine. He has to be gone before the end of the book. Besides, Peter's cronies are going to crash in later."_

_"Oh. And speaking of people coming, where the heck are they?"_

_"Like I said, they went back."_

_"So they're safe?"_

_"Of course they are. Time was frozen remember? Besides, it's not like we cut them or anything."_

_"Yeah, ok."_

_"Anyway, we better go, snack time's almost done. "_

_They walked back, ignoring the suspicious looks that were given and went to their seats. The book was given to Peter, who after many arguments finally agreed to read. Also, Eric was released as long as he swore not to harm anybody in anyway. Peter cleared his throat._

_**"Chapter 5.**_

* * *

**The bus we take to get us to the Choosing Ceremony is full of people in gray shirts and gray slacks. A pale ring of sunlight burns into the clouds like the end of a lit cigarette.**

"Typical Tris. Comparing nature with something that pollutes." Al says, reaching over to punch her lightly. Tris huffed. She couldn't control her subconscious thoughts. She was just looking at the sun, when she recalled the moment.

**I will never smoke one myself-they are closely tied to vanity- but a crowd of Candor smokes them in front of the building when we get off the bus.**

"Good for you, Beatrice." Mr. Prior says. "Smoking blackens the lungs and rots the teeth. It also makes your lifeline shorter." Tris shuddered at that. Peter grumbled wanting to get on with the story.

**I have to tilt my head back to see the top of the Hub, and even then, part of it disappears into the clouds. It is the tallest building in the city. I can see the lights on the two prongs on its roof from my bedroom window. I follow my parents off the bus. Caleb seems calm, but so would I, if I knew what I was going to do.**

"You never know what to do, besides I didn't know what to do either." Caleb says.

"I meant for the Choosing Ceremony."

"Oh.. then," Caleb scratches the back of his neck, looking guiltily at his parents, who either didn't notice or acted like they didn't. "I did." he finished.

**Instead I get the distinct impression that my heart will burst out of my chest any minute now, and I grab his arm to steady myself as I walk up the front steps. The elevator is crowded, so my father volunteers to give a cluster on Amity in our place. We climb the stairs instead, following him unquestioningly . We set an example for our fellow faction members, and soon the three of us are engulfed in the mass of gray fabric ascending cement stairs in the half light. I settle into their pace. The uniform pounding of feet in my ears and the homogeneity of the people around me makes me believe that I could choose this. I could be subsumed into Abnegation's hive mind, always projecting outward.**

"You'll never achieve the always part. If you switch it to sometimes, you might be good." Christina says, punching her.

"I'm not a punch bag, thank you very much!" Tris exclaims.

"Your welcome." Christina and Al mock bow. Tris rolls her eyes. Peter had enough and continued reading.

**But then my legs get sore, and I struggle to breath, and I am again distracted by** myself.

"Aren't you always?" Four teases. Riley tried not to laugh. Sometimes it was Tris that distracts herself, but most of the time in the very near future, it was Four.

"No." Tris responds.

**We have to climb twenty flights of stairs to get to the Choosing Ceremony. My father holds the door open on the twentieth floor and stands like a sentry as every Abnegation walks past him. I would wait for him, but the crowd presses me forward, out of the stairwell and into the room where I will decide the rest of my life.**

**The room is arranged to concentric circles. On the edges stand the sixteenth year olds from every faction. We are not called members yet; our decisions today will make us initiates and we will become members if we complete initiation. We arrange ourselves in alphabetical order, according to the last names we may leave behind today. I stand between Caleb and Danielle Pohler, an Amity girl with rosy cheeks and a yellow dress.**

"I know her, or was it someone else. I forgot. I've met so much people when I first came." Robert says.

"Wow. They're that friendly?" Susan asks.

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"You said that already."

"So?"

"Never mind." Robert sighs.

**Rows of chairs for our families make up the next circle. They are arranged in five sections, according to faction. Not everyone in each faction comes to the Choosing Ceremony, but enough of them come that the crowd looks huge. The responsibility to conduct the ceremony rotates from faction to faction each year and this year is Abnegation's.**

"Is it just me, or does Abnegation seem to be responsible for everything that happened that year?" Peter asks, interrupting himself.

"Yes, it's a huge coincidence." Marcus answers.

**Marcus will give the opening address and read the names in reverse alphabetical order. Caleb will choose before me. In the last circle there are five metal bowls so large that they could hold my entire body, if I curled up. Each one contains a substance that represents each faction: gray stones for Abnegation, water for Erudite, earth for Amity, lit coals for Dauntless, and glass for Candor.**

**When Marcus calls my name, I will walk to the center of the three circles. I will not speak. He will offer me a knife. I will cut into my hand and sprinkle blood into the bowl of the faction I choose.**

**My blood on the stones. My blood sizzling on the coals.**

**Before my parents sit down, they stand in front of Caleb and me. My father kisses my forehead and claps Caleb on the shoulder, grinning.**

**"See you soon." he says. Without a trace of ****doubt.**

"Sorry, Dad." Tris and Caleb say in unison.

"It's fine. A bit of disappointment, but, I'm proud of you guys, for not letting us block you from whatever faction you want to be in." Tris and Caleb smile at him. It was rare to see him not stern.

**My mother hugs me, and what little resolve I have left almost breaks. I clench my jaw and stare up at the ceiling, where globe lanterns hang and fill the room with blue light. She holds me for what feels like a long time, even after I let my hands fall. Before she pulls away, she turns her head and whispers in my ear, "I love you. No matter what."**

**I frown at her back as she walks away. She knows what I might do. She must know, or she wouldn't feel the need to say that. Caleb grabs my hand , squeezing my palm so tightly it hurts, but I didn't let go. The last time we held hands was at my uncle's funeral, as my father cried. We need each other's strength now, just as we did then.**

**The room slowly comes to order. I should be observing the Dauntless; I should be taking in as much information as I can, but I can only stare at the lanterns across the room.**

"Not to burst your bubble or anything, but the Dauntless are not animals that should be dissected so, no you should not be taking as much information as you can." Four whispered in Tris' ear. The next thing you know, Tris was red faced and Four had a bloody nose. Al ,Christina and Will grinned.

"Hey, is it just me, or does it look like one of our instructors actually knows humour?" Christina stage-whispered.

"Looks like he's flirting with one of his initiates as well." Will snickered.

"I AM NOT!" Four shouted. Tris tried to bury her face between her knees. Caleb shot her a wink then pointed at Four. Riley thought this was enough and they could tease them later so he gestured Peter to read.

**I try to lose myself in the blue glow. Marcus stands at the podium between the Erudite and the Dauntless and clears his throat into the microphone.**

**"Welcome," he says. "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honor the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his own way in this world."**

**Or it occurs to me, one of the five predetermined ways.**

"Is it in your job description to be a rebel of the way we work?" Eric grunts.

"I prefer suggestion person, who doesn't agree with how things works, but if you want, you could call me that." Tris responds. Eric looks ready to strangle her.

"Ah, ah, ah. You swore not to." Riley reminded him. Eric growled and sat back down.

**I squeeze Caleb's fingers as hard as he is squeezing mine .**

**"Our dependents are now sixteen. They stand on the precipice of adulthood, and it is now up to them to decide what kind of person they will be." Marcus's voice is solemn and gives equal weight to each word. "Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology , religious belief, race or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality-of humankind's inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world's disarray."**

**My eyes shift to the bowls in the center of the room. What do I believe? I do not know; I do not know; I do not know; I do not know**

**"Those who blamed aggression formed Amity."**

Robert smiled at that.

**The Amity exchange smiles. They are dressed comfortably, in red or yellow. Every time I see them, they seem kind, loving, free. But joining them has never been an option for me.**

"Hey, that could be a lyric, with a few changes.: _Every time I see them, they seem kind, loving, free / Joining them has always been the option for_ _me. "_

Applause was heard all around the room.

"Nice!" Caleb says.

"Thanks."

"Your welcome. "

**"Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite."**

This time, Will (even though he wasn't in that faction) and Caleb smiled.

**Ruling out Erudite was the only part of my choice that was easy.**

**"Those who blamed duplicity created Candor."**

Peter and Al smiled while Christina made the effort of bowing down to and imaginary crowd.

**I have never liked Candor.**

Christina gasped. "H-How could you? I thought we were friends!" Tris rolled her eyes.

"I'll make two exceptions." she smiled at Al and Christina.

"Good."

**"Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation."**

All previous, or current Abnegation smiled.

**I blame selfishness; I do.**

**"And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless."**

The Dauntless smiled, except Eric, he grinned smugly.

**But I am not selfless enough. Sixteen years of trying and I am not enough. My legs go numb, like all the life has gone out of them-**

"Well, that's what numb means you see." Four whispers in her ear... again. She turned around to swat him, but this time he dodged.

"WILL YOU STOP DOING THAT!" Tris shouted.

"Fine." Four huffed, leaving everyone to laugh.

**and I wonder how I will walk when my name is called.**

**"Working together, these five factions have lived in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector in society. Abnegation has fulfilled our need for selfless leaders in government; Candor has provided with trustworthy and sound leaders in law; Erudite has supplied us with intelligent teachers and researchers; Amity has given us understanding counselors and caretakers; and Dauntless provides us with protection from threats both within and without. But the reach of each faction is not limited to these areas. We give one another far more than can be adequately summarized. In our factions, we find meaning, we find purpose, we find life."**

**I think of the motto I read in my Faction History textbook: _Faction before blood_. More than family, our factions are where we belong. Can that possibly be right?**

Everyone looked at each other and shrugged. Riley looked at them like they were insane. Did they really have that much doubt about family? The others were thinking that a faction means you're a part of a group that has the same beliefs that you do, but family, is the people who gave birth to you, and sheltered you until the Choosing Ceremony. **[A/N: This question is for you guys too. Faction or Family?]**

**Marcus adds, "Apart from them, we would not survive." The silence that follows his words is heavier than other silences. It is heavy with our worst fear, greater even the fear of death: to be factionless.**

**Marcus continues, "Therefore this day marks a happy occasion- the day on which we receive our new initiates, who will work us toward a better society and a better world."**

Or a worse one. Riley thought once she heard those words.

**A round of applause. It sounds muffled. I try to stand completely still, because if my knees are locked and my body is stiff, I don't shake. Marcus reads the first names, but I can't tell one syllable from the other. How will I know when he calls my name?**

"Someone will probably tell you." Mr. Prior says.

**One by one, each sixteen year old steps out of line and walks into the middle of the room. The first girl to choose decides on Amity, the same faction from which she came. I watch her blood droplets fall on soil, and stands behind their seats alone. The room is constantly moving, a new name and a new person choosing, a new knife and a new choice. I recognize most of them, but I doubt they know me.**

**"James Tucker." Marcus says.**

"Puny kid the guy was." Eric grunted. Four glared.

"He wasn't the best but..." Four started , but couldn't think of anything to say.

"See?"

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." Four crossed his arms and glared at Eric.

**James Tucker of the Dauntless is the first person to stumble on his way to the bowls. He throws his arms out and regains his balance before hitting the floor. His face turns red and he walks fast to the middle of the room. When he stands in the center, he looks from the Dauntless bowl to the Candor bowl- the orange flames that rise higher each moment, and the glass reflecting blue light.**

**Marcus offers him the knife. He breathes deeply-I watch his chest rise - and he exhales, accepts the knife. Then he drags it across his palm with a jerk and holds his arm out to the side. His blood falls onto the glass, and he is the first of us to switch factions. The first faction transfer.**

"We get it Stiff." Eric says. "No need to remind us of our betrayal twice." He bit lip ring, staring at Tris, like he wanted to bore a hole into her head.

Caleb glared at him. Nobody messes with his sister.

**A mutter rises from the Dauntless section, and I stare at the floor. They will see him as a traitor from now on. His dauntless family will have the option of visiting him in his new faction, a week and a half from now on Visiting Da, but they won't, because he left them. His absence will haunt their hallways , and he will be a space they can't fill. And then time will pass,, and the hole will be gone, like when an organ is removed and the body's fluids flow into the space it leaves. Humans can't tolerate emptiness for long.**

"Got that right." Four muttered, glaring at Marcus again. Tris was confused as ever. What happened that it made Four hate Marcus so much. She'll admit he wasn't a warm and fuzzy person. But, he was respectable. Maybe that was it. He didn't like to be made fun of, but how could it happen since he wasn't even working with politics. Tris shook her head and listened to the story.

**"Caleb Prior," says Marcus.**

**Caleb squeezes my hand one last time, and as he walks away, casts a long look at me over his shoulder. I watch his feet move to the center of the room, and his hands, steady as they accept the knife from Marcus, are deft as one presses the knife into the other. Then he stands with blood pooling in his palm, and his lip snags on his teeth. He breathes out. And then in. And then he holds his hand over the Erudite bowl, and his blood drips the water, turning it a deeper shade of red.**

**I hear mutters that lift into outraged cries. I can barely think straight. My brother, my selfless brother, a faction transfer? My brother, born for Abnegation,** _**Erudite?**_

"You make it sound so bad, Beatrice." Caleb says glumly.

"Considering the circumstances, attacks on Abnegation from Erudite and all that, I have a right to worry." Tris shots back.

"Didn't think of that." Caleb winced.

**When I close my eyes, I see the stack of books on Caleb's desk, and his shaking hands sliding along his legs after the aptitude test. Why didn't I realize that when he told me to think about myself yesterday, he was also giving that advice to himself?**

"OHHHH..." says about everybody in the room, except the people who already knew.

**I scan the crowd of the Erudite-they wear smug smiles and nudge each other. The Abnegation, normally so placid, speak to one another in tense whispers and glare across the room at the faction that has become our enemy.**

**"Excuse me," says Marcus, but the crowd doesn't hear him. He shouts, "Quiet, please!"**

**The room goes silent. Except for a ringing sound. I hear my name and a shudder propels me forward. Halfway to the bowls, I am sure that I will choose Abnegation. I can see it now. I watch myself grow into a woman in Abnegation robes, marrying Susan's brother, Robert.**

Said person raises his eyebrows.

"Er...Well, I was wrong. Besides, you were the only guy I know at the time." Tris answers.

"Okay." Robert says, happy with the answer.

**volunteering on the weekends, the peace of routine, the quiet nights spent in front of the fireplace, the certainty that I will be safe, and if not good enough, better than I am now. The ringing, I realize is in my ears. I look at Caleb, who now stands behind the Erudite. He stares back at me and nods a little, like he knows what I'm thinking, and agrees My footsteps falter. If Caleb wasn't fit for Abnegation, how can I be? But what choice do I have, now that he left us and I'm the only one who remains? He left me no other option.**

Caleb frowns. He didn't think that it would affect them this much. Huh, he forgot that he would hear their reactions to his transfer. He sends an apologetic look to Tris who just waves it off.

**I set my jaw. I will be the child that stays; I have to do this for my parents. I have to.**

**Marcus offers me my knife. I look into his eyes-they are dark blue, a strange color-and take it. He nods, and I turn toward the bowls. Dauntless fire and Abnegation stones are both on my left, one in front of my shoulder and one behind. I hold the knife in my right hand and touch the blade to my palm. Gritting my teeth, I drag the blade down. It stings, but I barely notice. I hold both hands to my chest, and my next breath shudders on the way out. I open my eyes and thrust my arms out. My blood drips onto the carpet between the two bowls. Then, with a gasp I can't contain, I shift my hand forward, and my blood sizzles on the coals.**

**I am selfish. I am brave**.

"Done." Peter announces.

"Well, that was a pretty boring chapter." Christina says, yawning.

"Yeah... there was something different." Tris says.

"What?" Susan asks.

"The lack of comments." Tris answers.

"Haha. Very funny. It's not my fault Four decided to flirt with you." Will says.

"Will you drop that already?" Tris asks, gritting her teeth.

"No." Will answers. Tris huffs. Peter passes the book to Eric, who started reading.

**Chapter 6**

**[A/N:I know, the love stuff started like 7 chapters early, I just had no more ideas.]**


	8. Divergent: Sixth Chapter

**A/N: Thank you who followed, favourite, and reviewed. :) Disclaimer: Everything that has to do with the series is Veronica Roth's.**

* * *

_"Done." Peter announces._

_"Well, that was a pretty boring chapter." Christina says, yawning._

_"Yeah... there was something different." Tris says._

_"What?" Susan asks._

_"The lack of comments." Tris answers._

_"Haha. Very funny. It's not my fault Four decided to flirt with you." Will says._

_"Will you drop that already?" Tris asks, gritting her teeth._

_"No." Will answers. Tris huffs. Peter passes the book to Eric, who started reading._

_**Chapter 6**_

* * *

**I train my eyes on the floor and stand behind the Dauntless born initiates who chose to return to their own faction. They are all taller than I am, so even I lift my head, I see only black clothed shoulders.**

"Wow, you're short!" Christina exclaimed. Eric growled. He wanted this chapter over with.

"Nooo, I'm the tallest person in the world." Tris says, her voice dripping in sarcasm. She rolled her eyes at her.

"Haha. Very funny." Christina responded with the same amount of sarcasm. Eric decided to ignore them and keep reading.

**When the last girl makes her choice-Amity-it's time to leave. The Dauntless exit first. I walk past the gray clothed men and women who were in my faction, staring determinedly at the back of someone's head. But I have to see my parents one more time. I look over my shoulder at the last second before I pass them, and I immediately wish I hadn't. My father's eyes burn with accusation. At first, when I feel the heat behind my eyes, I think he's found a way to punish me for what I've done, but no-I'm about to cry.**

A single tear slid down Mr. Prior's face. He wished he was understanding that day. Mrs. Prior rubbed his arm. She remembered what happened after. He started crying and throwing tantrums, before he contended with just sitting in the family room, muttering about betrayals, leaving her to clean out Beatrice's and Caleb's rooms. He acted selfish that day and she was not used to it.

**Beside him, my mother is smiling.**

Of course she would. Her daughter was in her old faction.

"Why would you be smiling, Natalie?" Marcus asked Mrs. Prior **[YESH! Found Mr. and Mrs. Prior's names!]**

"No reason." she responded.

**The people behind me press me forward, away from my family, who will be the last one to leave. They may even stay to stack the chairs and clean the bowls. I twist my head around to find Caleb in the crowd of Erudite behind me. He stands among the other initiates, shaking hands with a faction transfer, a boy who was Candor.**

"That is such a coincidence." Christina chuckled.

"What is?" Caleb asks.

"The first friend you guys made since you transferred were both from Candor." Christina answers, gesturing to the siblings. They looked at each other and smiled.

"That's true." they say in unison. Eric got tired of playing with his lip ring throughout the whole conversation and started reading.

**The easy smile he wears is an act of betrayal.**

Caleb winces.

**My stomach wrenches and I turn away. If it's so easy for him, maybe it should be easier for me, too. I glance at the boy to my left, who was Erudite and now looks as pale and nervous as I should feel. I spent all my time worrying about which faction I would choose and never considered what would happen if I choose Dauntless.**

"Gosh, you make a lot of plans. And then when you don't, you freak out. Maybe you should be in Erudite." Robert says.

"No way." Tris says. "No offence to you two." He says to Will and Caleb. She couldn't care less of what Eric thought.

**What waits for me at Dauntless headquarters?**

Will was about to answer when Christina shushed him, reminding him that he would be talking to a book, since real life Tris already knew what was going on. Besides, Will was deathly afraid of Eric.

**The crowd of Dauntless leading us go to the stairs instead of the elevator. I thought only the Abnegation used the stairs.**

"All that studying you did and you didn't know we didn't use the elevators? Tsk, tsk Tris. Forget my statement about not studying up, you need to all the facts." Four 'scolded' her.

"Shut up Four!" Tris yelled, despite him being right beside her. Four rubbed his ears. When you finally decide to have a little fun, your favourite initiate gets mad at you. Wait, favourite? How did that happen?

**Then everyone starts running. I hear whoops and shouts and laughter all around me, and dozens of thundering feet moving at different rhythms. It is not a selfless act for the Dauntless to take the stairs; it is a wild act.**

**"What the hell is going on?" the boy next to me shouts. I just shake my head and keep running. I am breathless when we reach the first floor, and the Dauntless burst through the exit. Outside, the air is crisp and cold and the sky id orange from the setting sun. It reflects off the black glass of the Hub. The Dauntless sprawl across the street, blocking the path of a bus, and I sprint to catch up to the back of the crowd. My confusion dissipates as I run. I have not run anywhere in a long time. Abnegation discourages anything done for my own enjoyment. , and that is what this is: my lungs burning, my muscles aching, the fierce pleasure of a flat-out sprint. I follow the Dauntless down the street and around the corner and hear a familiar sound: the train horn.**

**"Oh no." mumbles the Erudite boy. "Are we supposed to hop on that thing?"**

"Wait, wait, wait." Robert says.

"What?" Four asks a bit harshly, and Robert glares at him. He was jealous that he could get along with Beatrice just fine, when he was forced to follow the rules. He shakes the thought out of his head, not aware that Al was thinking along the same lines.

"People can believe that you harm others, but when it comes to jumping on trains... you guys are suddenly big fuzzy teddy bears?" he asked. Four seems to think about this for a moment. He realized that Amity boy-Robert?- was right. He just shrugged, unconcerned.

"It's probably because the guy didn't think they'd make initiates do something dangerous." Tris answered.

"Exactly. When did you guys become big fuzzy teddy bears? I wouldn't be surprised if they used you for targets or something for initiation." Robert says. Riley cringed, thinking about what Eric made Four do. Or what he will make him do, anyway.

"People are just scared, that's all." Susan says. Robert nodded, thinking that was a possibility.

**"Yes," I say, breathless. It is good that I spent so much time watching the Dauntless arrive at school. The crowd spreads out in a longline. The train glides towards us on steel rails, its light flashing, its horn blaring. The door of each car is open, waiting for the Dauntless to pile in, and they do, group by group, until only the new initiates are left. The Dauntless born initiates to doing this by now, so it's just the faction transfers are left.**

"I would've helped you, but I didn't use to associate with faction transfers then." Uriah said. Wait, what the hell? Uriah?! They look at the couch Peter was in, even he was shocked. Riley furrowed her eyebrows.

"You told me they were only supposed to stay until the 3rd chapter." she talked to something, but the others were too busy answering Zeke's, Marlene's and Uriah's questions.

"No. I told you the 3rd book. Not 3rd chapter." A voice boomed Fortunately, she was the only one who can hear it.

"No you said 3rd chapter. I remember what you said. And what about Peter's cronies?" Riley asked.

"I'll answer questions when your break has come." At that, the voice disappeared, leaving an annoyed Riley.

"What? Seriously?" Uriah asked. They have reached the part where they suddenly appeared. They all looked at Riley.

"Sorry, mix-up. You were supposed to leave at the 3rd book." Riley muttered. Zeke huffed. Riley sent him a questioning glance.

"Well, when we came back, we were frozen, and it felt so horrible." he shivered.

"OH. Sorry. Let's read now. After, you three can read a chapter." They nodded. Eric grunted, not wanting more people to interrupt.

**I step forward with a few others and start jogging. We run with the car for a few steps and then throw ourselves sideways. I'm not as tall or as strong as some of them, so I can't pull myself into the car. My arms shake, and finally a Candor girl grabs me and pulls me in. Gasping, I thank her.**

"Cue my entrance." Christina says, smugly.

"When am I going to enter?" Will asks.

"Right before we came here... I think." Tris answers.

"Okay."

**I hear a shout and look over my shoulder. A short Erudite boy with red hair pumps his arms as he tries to catch up with the train. An Erudite girl by the door reaches out to grab the boy's hand, straining, but he is too far behind. He falls to his knees next to the tracks as we sail away, and puts his heads in his hands.**

"I wasn't aware we were riding on a boat instead of a train, Tris." Marlene teased.

"I didn't mean it like that." she says.

"You still thought it." she points out. Tris couldn't fight with that logic, so Eric kept reading.

**I feel uneasy. He just failed Dauntless initiation. He s factionless now. It could happen any moment.**

"You all right?" The Candor girl who helped me asks briskly. She is tall, with dark brown skin and short hair. Pretty.

"Thank you. Although next time, please use more adjectives. You sound like a five year old." Christina says. Will nodded at the last word Eric read, looking at Christina. She is pretty. Woah, where did that come from? Will didn't like her, does he?

"Great, you managed to get her head bigger." Four says. "I have to deal with the smart-mouth Candor more now, since your compliment."

"It's not my fault. How was I supposed to know she'd read my personal thought?" Trish shot back. Robert and Al stiffened at this exchange. They didn't know what they were talking about, but the fact that they didn't know was enough to make them jealous. Susan rolled her eyes. Caleb nodded. He didn't really approve of Four, he was too, shady. He'd prefer Beatrice with Robert, or even that Al guy. He pretends to like this budding relationship, for now since his mother was gushing.

**I nod. "I'm Christina," she says, offering me her hand. I haven't shaken a hand in a long time, either. The Abnegation greeted one another by bowing heads, a sign of respect. I take her hand, uncertainly, and shake it twice, hoping I didn't squeeze it too hard or not hard enough.**

"It was the latter. It felt like air had formed into a person and gave me a handshake." Christina answers. Tris blushes. She didn't really like being compared to air, in that way.

**"Beatrice," I say.**

**"Do you know where we're going?" She has to shout over the wind, which blows harder through the open doors by the second. The train is picking up speed. I sit down. It will be easier to keep my balance if I'm low on the ground.**

Caleb nodded his head at Tris.

**She raises an eyebrow at me.**

**"A fast train means wind," I say. "Wind means falling out. Get down."**

Marlene smiles a bit. Zeke noticed.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked. Everyone's attention went to them.

"I was thinking about how Harry Potter met his best friend on a train, going to his second home." Marlene answered.

"That book series is so old." Uriah moaned. He'd had his share of Marlene's rants. Riley glared. She loved the Harry Potter series. It was her next mission after this one. It was also really popular in her time.

"Wasn't aware that a book series had an expiration date." she said, icily.

"But this one's over 1000 years ago." Uriah says.

"That would make me over 1017 years old then, since I was born in 1996." she says.

"You're old." The others gaped at her. She rolled her eyes at them as Eric decided it would be best to keep reading.

**Christina sits next to me, inching back to lean against the wall.**

**"I guess we're going to the Dauntless headquarters," I say. "but I don't know where that is."**

**"Does anyone?" She shakes her head, grinning. "It's like they just popped out of a hole in the ground or something."  
**  
"Or something's right." Zeke nodded his head.  
**  
Then the wind rushes through the car, and the other faction transfers, hit with bursts of air, fall on top of one another. I watch Christina laugh without hearing her and manage a smile.**

The room was in the same position Christina was then. Except, this time, you could hear them laugh.

"You could've at least told me to sit down." Will says, huffing. He was still wearing a goofy smile though.

"I didn't know you. Besides, you were in Erudite, you should've known that yourself." Tris says, grinning sheepishly.

"I'll let it pass... this time." Riley frowned. She wonders how he's going to act about his death. _'We can still save him. We're changing the future, remember?' _The positive side of her says. _'We aren't suppose to change the future, dimwit. We're supposed to warn them, that they will lose lives, but it will be worth it in the end.'_ The logical side argues. _'We aren't suppose to do anything, we just let them know the future. We don't prepare them or anything. We read, bury their memories deep that when they try to remember they can't, and they live out their lives.'_ The negative argues.

"Oh, shut up." Riley says, out loud which she doesn't notice.

"You ok?" Susan asks.

"Yeah." She smiles at the Abnegation girl.

**Over my left shoulder, orange light from the setting sun reflects off glass buildings, and I can faintly see the rows of gray houses that used to be my home. It's Caleb's turn to make dinner tonight. Who will take his place- my mother or my father? And when they clear out his room, what will they discover.  
**  
Caleb's eyes narrowed. He had secretly stashed drawings of things he wanted to invent. He wonders what they did to it, or maybe they didn't find it, and it was still there. He hoped it was the latter.

**I imagine books jammed between the dresser and the wall, books under his mattress. The Erudite thirst for knowledge filling all the places in his room. Did he always know that he would choose Erudite? And if he did, how did I not notice? What a good actor he was. The thought makes me sick to my stomach, because even though I left them too, at least I was no good at pretending. At least they all knew that I wasn't** selfless.

Her parents, Caleb, Robert and Susan glumly nodded their. At least she tried.

**I close my eyes and picture my mother and father sitting at the dinner table in silence.**

_'We didn't sit in silence.' _Mrs. Prior thought. '_More like chaos took ever.' _She snuggled to Mr. Prior.

**Is it a lingering hint of selflessness that makes my throat tighten at the thought of them, or is it selfishness, because I know that I will never be their daughter again?**

"You will always be our daughter, Beatrice. Even if you are in a different faction. You too, Caleb." Mr. Prior ran his fingers through Caleb's hair. Tris smiled.

"Faction before blood." Eric says. "Does that mean anything, to anybody anymore?!" Eric cried out in frustration before reading.

**"They're jumping off!" I lift my head. My neck aches. I have been curled up with my back against the wall for at least a half hour, listening to the roaring wind and watching the city smear past us. I sit forward. The train has slowed down in the past few minutes, and I see that the boy who shouted is right. The Dauntless in the cars ahead of us are jumping out as the train passes a rooftop. The tracks are seven stories up.  
**  
Mrs. Prior gripped her husband tight. She hoped Tris didn't get a scratch. The first time she did it, about 10 years old, she broke her ankle and wrist.

**The idea of leaping out of a moving train onto a rooftop, knowing there is a gap between the edge of the roof and the edge of the track, makes me want to throw up.**

This time, Mr. Prior turned pale. He assured himself by, reminding him that Beatrice was there, right in front of him.

* * *

**[A/N: Little break. I was wondering when I should add Tori in. Any suggestions?]**

* * *

**I push myself up and stumble to the opposite side of the car, where the other faction transfers stand in a line.**

**"We have to jump off too, then," a Candor girls says. She has a large nose and crooked teeth.**

**"Great," a Candor boy replies, "because that makes perfect sense, Molly. Leap off a train onto a roof."**

**"This is kind of what we signed up for, Peter," the girl points out.**

"This will be the first and last time, I will agree wit Molly. 'That is what you signed up for, Peter.'" Christina mocked, making the room laughed. Will like her sense of humour. Wait again, what?!

**"Well, I'm not doing it," says an Amity boy behind** me.

"There was a transfer from Amity?" Four asks, incredulous.

"Yeah. Wonder why he would transfer?" Tris answers.

"Who knows, maybe he was feeling daring at the Choosing Ceremony." Robert answers.

"Yeah, maybe." Tris smiles at her old neighbor.

**He has olive skin and wears a brown shirt-he is the inly transfer from Amity. His cheek shine with tears.**

**"You've got to," Christina says, "or you fail. Come on, it'll be alright."**

"Yeah, Candor's right." Four says.

"Chris-ti-na. It's only three syllables. Why don't you call me by my name." Christina asks.

"It's for annoying me with questions." he answers.

"I was curious. Everybody is, at some point."

"They learn how to keep their mouth shut." Four shots back. Christina was stumped for an answer and leaned into Will, which he enjoyed.

**"No it wont! I'd rather be factionless then dead!" The Amity boy shakes his head.**

"Why the heck did he transfer then?" Zeke asks.

"His cries were pretty pathetic." Marlene says, who had heard the exchange, right before she jumped off.

**He sounds panicky. He keeps shaking his head and staring at the rooftop, which is getting closer by the second. I don't agree with him. I would rather be dead than factionless.**

**"You can't force him," I say, glancing at Christina. Her brown eyes are wide, and she presses her lips together so hard that they change color. She offers me a hand.**

**"Here," she says. I raise an eyebrow at her hand, about to say that I don't need help, but she adds, "I just... can't do it unless someone drags me." I take her hand and we stand at the edge of the car. As it passes the roof, I count, "One...two..._three_!" On three we launch off the train car. a weightless moment, and then my feet slam into solid ground and pain prickles though my shins.**

Mrs. Prior let out a gasp. Mr. Prior let out his breath, glad that she made it uninjured.

**The jarring landing sends me sprawling on the rooftop, gravel under my cheek. I release Christina's hand. She's laughing.**

**"That was fun," she says. Christina will fit in with the Dauntless thrill seekers.**

Four and Eric nodded their head at that. Christina seemed like that kind of person. They won't be caught dead saying that, though.

**I brush grains of rock from my cheek. All the initiates except the Amity boy made it onto the roof, with varying levels of success. The Candor girl with crooked tooth, Molly, holds her ankle, wincing, and Peter, the Candor boy with shiny hair, grins proudly-he must have landed on his feet.**

"Probably not." Will muttered to Al, who laughed. Peter glared daggers at them. They didn't take notice

**Then I hear a wail. I turn my head, searching for the source of sound. A Dauntless girl stands at the edge of the roof, staring at the ground below, screaming. Behind her a Dauntless boy holds her at the waist to keep her from falling off.**

**"Rita," he says. "Rita, calm down. Rita-"**

"Poor Sally." Marlene muttered. "Rita and her were inseparable. She was so heart broken." She remembered Rita walk in the dorms, her face wet, her eyes shining with tears. Uriah nodded.

**I stand and look over the edge. There is a body on the pavement below us; a girl, her arms and legs bent in an awkward angle, her hair spread in a fan around her head.**

Marlene winced. Uriah took her hand and massaged it. She smiled at him gratefully. Zeke grinned. He pointed to them, when Four wondered why he was so happy. Four smirked, knowing Uriah would never hear the end of it.

**My stomach sinks and I stare at the railroad tracks. Not everyone made it. And even the Dauntless aren't safe. Rita sinks to her knees, sobbing. I turn away. The longer I watch her, the more likely I am to cry, and I can't cry in front of these people. I tell myself, as sternly as possible, _that is how things work here_. We do dangerous things and people die. People die, and we move on to the next dangerous thing. The sooner that lesson sinks in, the better chance I have at surviving initiation.**

Eric nodded. "I regret that." Tris muttered.

"But what you thought was true." Four says.

"Doesn't mean it makes me feel better." she replies. Riley cringed. What would her reaction be to Al's death, if she acted this way about a girl she didn't know about? How about her parents?

**I'm no longer sure that I will survive initiation.  
**  
"You will." Four mutters, trying to sooth her.

"You don't know that. "Tris replies, glumly.

"Doesn't mean you have to look at it in a pessimistic way." Tris huffed.

**I tell myself I will count to three, and when I'm done, I will move on. _One. _I picture the girl's body on the pavement, and a shudder goes through me. _Two_. I hear Rita's sobs and the murmured reassurance of the boy behind her. _Three_.**

Marlene sighed.

**My lips pursed, I walk away from Rita and the roof's edge. My elbow stings. I pull my sleeve up to examine it, my head shaking. Some of the skin is peeling off, but it isn't bleeding.**

**"Ooh. _Scandalous! _A Stiff's flashing some skin!" I lift my head. "Stiff" is slang for Abnegation, and I'm the only one here. Peter points at me, smirking. I hear laughter. My cheeks heat up, and I let my sleeve fall.**

The Priors, Blacks, Christina, Will, Al and surprisingly, Four glared at Peter. Tris' face heats up.

**"Listen up! My name is Max! I am one of the leaders of your new faction!" shouts a man at the other end of the roof. He is older than the others, with deep creases in his dark skin and gray hair at his temples, and he stands on the ledge like it's a sidewalk. Like someone didn't just fall to death from it. "Several stories below us is the member's entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first."**

**"You want us to jump off a ledge?" asks an Erudite girl.**

Robert mutters something about the Dauntless and big, fuzzy teddy bears. Susan rolled her eyes.

**She is a few inches taller than I am, with mousy brown hair and big lips. Her mouth hangs open. I don't know why it shocks her.**

"See, Beatrice agrees." Roberts says to Susan.

"She doesn't compare them to big, fuzzy teddy bears." Susan says.

"Still."

**"Yes," Max says. He looks amused.**

**"Is there water at the bottom or something?"**

**"Who knows?" He raises his eyebrows. The crowd in font of the initiates split in half, making a wide path for us. I look around. No one looks eager to leap off the building-their eyes are everywhere but Max. Some of them nurse minor wounds or brush gravel from their clothes. glance at Peter. He is picking at one of his cuticles. Trying to act casual. I am proud. It will get me into trouble someday, but today it makes me brave. I walk toward the ledge and hear snickers behind me.**

**Max steps aside, leaving my way clear. I walk up to the edge and ledge and look down. Wind whips through my clothes, making the fabric snap. The building I'm on forms one side of the square with three other buildings. In the center of the square is a huge hole in the concrete. I can't see what's at the bottom of it. This is a scare tactic.**

"How did you guys not know that?" Four asks. They shrug. He rolls his eyes.

**I will land safely at the bottom. The knowledge is the only thing that helps me step onto the ledge. My teeth chatter. I can't back down now. Not with all the people betting I'll fail behind me.**

"Those people couldn't even get on the ledge. You shouldn't have minded them." Al says, defensively. Tris smiles at him, he blushes, Robert glares. Four feels something in his gut, that he ignores.

**My hands fumble along the collar of my shirt and find the buttons that secures it shut. After a few tries, I undo the hooks from collar to hem, and pull it off my shoulders. Beneath it, I wear a gray T-shirt. It is tighter than any other clothes that I own, and no one has seen me in it before. I ball up my outer shirt and look over my shoulder, at Peter. I throw the ball of fabric at him as hard as I can, my jaw clenched.  
**  
"You should've added rocks in it, if you wanted it to hurt." Christina whispers. Tris giggles.

**He stares at me. I hear catcalls and shouts behind me. I look at the hole again. Goose bumps rise on my pale arms, and my stomach lurches. If I don't do it now, I won't be able to do it at all. I swallow hard. I don't think. I just bend my knees and jump.**

**The air howls in my ears as the ground surges toward me, growing and expanding, or I surge into the ground, my heart pounding so fast it hurts, every muscle in my body tensing as the falling sensation drags at my stomach. The hole surrounds me and I drop into darkness. I hit something hard. It gives way beneath me and cradles my body. The impact knocks the wind out of me and I wheeze, struggling to breathe again. My arms and legs sting.**

**A net. There is a net at the bottom of the hole. I look up at the building and laugh, half relieved and half hysterical. My body shakes and I cover my face with my hands. I just jumped off a roof.**

"You get used to it soon enough." Four shrugs.

**I have to stand on solid ground again. I see a few hands stretching out to me at the edge of the net, so I grab the first one I can reach and pull myself across. I roll off, and I would have fallen if he had not caught me.**

"Aww, Tris has a knight in shining armor." Susan coos. Tris blushes and Four winks at her.

"You could say that." Four muses. Tris blushes more.

**"He" is the young man attached to the hand I grabbed. He has a spare upper lip and a full lower lip. His eyes are so deep-set that his eyelashes touch the skin under his eyebrows, and they are dark blue, a dreaming, waiting sleeping colour.**

"Nice description, Tris." Four whispers in her ear, making her face turn an unnatural shade of red. Al and Robert are full-out jealous.

**His hands grip my arms, but he releases me a moment after I stand upright again.**

**"Thank you," I say. We stand on a platform ten feet above the ground. Around us is an open cavern.**

**"Can't believe it," a voice says from behind him. It belongs to a dark-haired girl with three silver rings through her right eyebrow.**

"Lauren's nice and all, but did she have to ruin their first romantic moment." Marlene complained. Tris blushed, happy that Lauren interrupted when she did.

**She smirks at me. "A Stiff, the first to jump? Unheard of."**

**"There's a reason why she left them, Lauren," he says.**

"Already protecting her pride. Are you sure, you don't like her?" Zeke asks. He's asked him this when he sat down with them at lunch that day.

"Not in that way, I don't" Four huffed, knowing what he was referring to. Tris looked at him, confused, and a bit embarrassed.

**His voice is deep, and it rumbles.**

Cue raised eyebrow and shrugged shoulders. Pretty obvious who it is.

**"What's your name?"**

**"Um..." I don't know why I hesitate. But "Beatrice" just doesn't sound right anymore.**

**"Think about it," he says, a faint smile curling his lips. "You don't get to pick again."**

**A new place, a new name. I can be remade here.**

**"Tris." I say firmly.**

**"Tris," Lauren repeats, grinning. "Make the announcement, Four." The buy-Four- looks over his shoulder and shouts, "First jumper-Tris!"**

**A crowd materializes from the darkness as my eyes adjust. They cheer and pump their fists, and then another person drops into the net.**

Christina blushes.

**Her screams follow her down. Christina. Everyone laughs, but they follow their laughter with more cheering. Four sets his hand on my back and says, "Welcome to Dauntless.**

"Aw, lookie that Four. The chapter ends with you saying that to her." Eric mocks. Four glares at him. Zeke takes the book from Eric, eager to see if there were any blackmail worthy stuff in the next chapter. Riley smiles at the still red faced Tris. If that was their reaction in the first meeting, imagine their reactions when they have a moment, alone. Zeke clears his throat and starts,

**"Chapter 7."**

**[A/N: I was so giddy writing the last part. Did I make it too lovey-dovey? Hope you enjoyed it :) Which ending should I go with? Positive? Negative? Logical?]**


	9. Divergent: Seventh Chapter

**A/N: Thank you who followed, favourite, and reviewed. :) Disclaimer: Everything that has to do with the series is Veronica Roth's.**

* * *

_"Aw, lookie that Four. The chapter ends with you saying that to her." Eric mocks. Four glares at him. Zeke takes the book from Eric, eager to see if there were any blackmail worthy stuff in the next chapter. Riley smiles at the still red faced Tris. If that was their reaction in the first meeting, imagine their reactions when they have a moment, alone. Zeke clears his throat and starts,_

_**"Chapter 7."**_

* * *

**When all the initiates stand on solid ground again, Lauren and Four lead us down a narrow tunnel. The walls are made of stone, and the ceiling slopes, so I feel like I am descending into the heart of the earth. The tunnel is lit at long intervals, so in the dark space between each dim lamp, I fear that I am lost until a shoulder bumps into mine. In the circles of light I am safe again. The Erudite boy in front of me stops abruptly, and I smack into him, hitting my nose onto his shoulder.**

Everybody laughs except for Mr. Prior, who is lecturing her daughter to be observant of her surroundings.

**I stumble back and rub my nose as I recover my senses. The whole crowd has stopped, and our three leaders stand in front of us, arms folded.**

**"This is where we divide," Lauren says,. "The Dauntless-born initiates are with me. I assume you don't need a tour of the place." She smiles and beckons towards the Dauntless initiates. They break away from the group and dissolve into the shadows. I watch the heel pass out of the light and look at those of us who are left. Most of the initiates were form Dauntless, so only nine people remain. Of those, I am the only Abnegation transfer, and there are no Amity transfers. The rest are from Erudite, and surprisingly, Candor. It must require bravery to be honest all the time. I wouldn't know.**

"What do you mean, surprisingly?" Peter asks.

"Don't remember." Tris answers, who in reality, just doesn't want to answer.

**Four addresses us next. "Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor," he says. "My name is Four."**

**Christina asks, "Four? Like the number?"**

**"Yes," Four says. "Is there a problem?"**

"Of course there is," Christina in real life says. "Only insane parents will name their child after a number." Four rolls his eyes. Trust Christina to answer something from a day ago.

**"No."**

**"Good. We're about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It-"**

**Christina snickers. "The Pit? Clever name."**

**Four walks up to Christina and leans his face close to hers. His eyes narrow, and for a second he just stares at her.**

**"What's your name?" he asks quietly.**

**"Christina." she squeaks.**

"I did not squeak!" Christina screams at Tris.

"You did so." Tris says.

"Did not!"

"Did."

"Not!"

"Did."

"No-" Christina was interrupted by Zeke.

"Can I read now?"

""Er- yeah sure." Christina answers.

**"Well, Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction," he hisses. "The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?"**

**She nods. Four starts toward the shadow at the end of the tunnel. The crowd of initiates moves on in silence.**

**"What a jerk," she mumbles.**

**"I guess he probably doesn't like to be laughed at." I reply.**

"Got that right, Tris." Four says.

"Wow. Your girlfriend understands you already. Your walls are breaking down, mate." Zeke says.

"She's not my girlfriend." Four says though gritted teeth. Tris blushes. When were they going to let that go?

"Denial." Marlene sings before Zeke starts reading.

**It would probably be wise to be careful around Four, I realize. He seemed placid to me on the platform, but something about that stillness makes me wary now. Four pushes a set of double doors open, and we walk into the place he called "the Pit."**

**"Oh," whispers Christina. "I get it."**

**"Pit" is the best word for it. It is an underground cavern so huge I can't see the other end of it from where I stand, at the bottom. Uneven rock walls rise several stories above my head. Built into the stone walls are places for food, clothing, supplies, leisure activities. Narrow paths and steps carved from rock connect them. There are no barriers to keep people from falling over the side. A slant of orange light stretches across one of the rock walls. Forming the roof of the Pit are panes of glass and above them, a building that lets in sunlight. It must have looked like just another city building when we passed it on the train.**

**Blue lanterns dangle at random intervals above the stone paths, similar to the one that lit the Choosing room. They grow brighter as the sunlight dies. People are everywhere, all dressed in black, all shouting and talking, expressive, gesturing. I don't see any elderly people in the crowd. Are there any old Dauntless?**

"Not any that are walking around anyway." Eric grunts.

**Do they not last that long, or are they sent away when they can't jump off of moving trains anymore?**

"Dad says, they're sent to a nursing home. Not so sure, though." Marlene says.

"You told me you eavesdropped on him." Uriah says.

"I didn't. With that one anyway." Zeke resumes reading.

**A group of children run down a narrow path with no railing, so fast my heart pounds, and I want to scream at them to slow down before they get hurt.**

"They wouldn't have listened to you. They'd just laugh at you." Zeke says casually. Tris' face reddens and glares at the book. Then at Riley.

"What? I can't control what you think." she says, once she noticed the look on her face.

"I hate this stupid book." Tris huffs.

"Get used to it Beatrice, there's 2 more." Caleb says.

"And a chapter in Four's point of view." Riley adds.

"What?" Four asks.

"There's two points of views in one of those chapters, but it's separate. You won't find it." Riley says.

"You're kidding me." Four groans. Tris smirks.

**A memory of the orderly Abnegation streets appears in my mind: a line of people on the right passing a line of people on the left, small smiles and inclined heads and silence. My stomach squeezes. But there is something wonderful about Dauntless chaos.**

**"If you follow me," says Four. "I'll show you the chasm." He waves us forward. Four's appearance seems tame from the front, by Dauntless standards, but when he turns around, I see a tattoo peeking out of the collar of his T-shirt.**

"I've seen that. Care to tell us what it is?" Zeke asks, interrupting himself.

"The Dauntless symbol." Four answers.

"Ah... That should've been obvious."

"No, really?" Four remarks, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

"I'll keep reading."

**He leads us to the right side of the Pit, which is conspicuously dark. I squint and see that the floor I stand on ends at an iron barrier. As we approach the railing, I hear a roar-water, fast-moving water, crashing against rocks. I look over the side. The floor drops off at a sharp angle, and several stories below us a river. Gushing water strikes the wall beneath me and sprays upward. To my left, the water is calmer, but to my right, it is white, battling with rock.**

**"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy!" Four shouts. "A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned."**

**"This is incredible," Christina says, as we all move away from the railing.**

"It is incredible, until a person you know jumps into it." Uriah says. Riley cringe. She wished things wouldn't remind her of their deaths.

**"Incredible is the word," I say, nodding. Four leads the group of initiates across the Pit toward a gaping hole in the wall. The room is beyond well-lit enough that I can see where we're going: a dining hall full of people and clattering silverware. When we walk in, the Dauntless inside stand. They applaud. They stamp their feet. They shout. The noise surrounds me and fills me. Christina smiles, and a second later, so do I.**

**We look for empty seats. Christina and I discover a mostly empty table at the side of the room, and I find myself seated between her and Four.**

"Were you trying to make a move on her?" Christina asks. "Because, I could've moved to a new table." Tris blushes more, feeling like that was all she ever did now, while Four glared. Robert and Al got jealous again. Zeke stifled a laugh, but the rest of the room had no restraint. When the laughter died down, Zeke kept reading.  
Four officially disliked Christina, more than he already did.

**In the center of the table is a platter of food I don't recognize: circular pieces of meat wedged between round bread slices. I pinch one between my fingers, unsure what to make of it. Four nudges me with his elbow.**

**"It's beef," he says. "Put this on it." He passes me a small bowl full of red sauce.**

**"You've never had a hamburger before?" asks Christina, her eyes wide.**

"Shouldn't you already know that?" Will asks.

"I was surprised." Christina answers.

"But you still knew?" Robert asks.

"No..." Zeke interrupts their little interrogation by reading.

**"No." I say. "Is that what it's called?"**

**"Stiffs eat plain food." Four says, nodding at Christina.**

**"Why?" she asks.**

**I shrug. "Extravagance is considered self-indulgent and unnecessary."**

"You shouldn't have said big words like that, Tris." Al says.

"Why?" she asks.

"Probably too big for her to understand." A round of laughter escaped from the room.

"I did so understand." Christina huffed.

"What does it extravagance mean then?" Susan asks.

"Er-"

"See, you don't know. It means unnecessary. It's a synonym." Caleb answers. Mrs. Prior smiled. She was sure that Caleb would become a member just fine. Mr. Prior's lips twitched. At least, his son wasn't stupid.

**She smirks. "No wonder you left."**

**"Yeah," I say, rolling my eyes. "It was just because of the food."**

**The corner of Four's mouth twitches.**

"Wow, Four must really like you. When we first met, it took me almost a week to even make him do that. And I'm the definition of funny!" Zeke says. Uriah rolls his eyes.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, bro." he remarks. Tris was pondering over this. Did Four really like her? She likes him too. Then she blushes. _'Get a hold of it Tris! He is your instructor. Not future boyfriend!'_Her mind scolded.

**The doors to the cafeteria open, and a hush falls over the room. I look over my shoulder. A young man walks in, and it is quiet enough that I can hear his footsteps. His face is pierced in so many places, I lost count, and his hair is long, dark, and greasy. But that isn't what makes him look menacing. It is the coldness of his eyes as they sweep across the room.**

Eric grinned like the Cheshire cat. He loved torturing people. It is what the Dauntless do.

**"Who's that?" Christina hisses.**

**"His name is Eric," says Four. "He's a Dauntless leader."**

**"Seriously? But he's so young."**

**Four gives her a grave look. "Age doesn't matter here." I can tell she's about to ask what I want to ask: _Then what does matter here?_ But Eric's eyes stop scanning the room and he starts towards a table. He starts towards our table and drops into the seat next to Four. He offers no greeting, so neither do we.**

**"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" he asks, nodding to Christina and me.**

**Four says, "This is Tris and Christina. "**

"Notice how she says Beatrice's name first." Susan whispered to Robert.

"She was right beside him, of course he'd introduce her first." Robert says.

"Don't be so jealous, Robert."

"Not going to happen."

"Fine, whatever." Susan huffs, and listens.

**"Ooh, a Stiff," says Eric, smirking at me. His smile pulls at the piercings in his lips, making the holes wider, and I wince. "We'll see how long you last."**

**I mean to say something-to assure him that I will last, maybe- but words fail me, I don't understand why, but I don't want Eric to look at me any longer than he already has. I don't want him looking at me any longer than he already has.**

"I don't want to look at you either, Stiff." Eric sneers. Mrs. Prior glared. She still hasn't forgiven him and never will. She hoped that she still could pull off fighting techniques if it came to that.

**He taps his finger against the table. His knuckles are scabbed over, right where they would be split if he punched something too hard.**

**"What have you been doing lately Four?" he asks.**

**Four lifts a shoulder. "Nothing, really," he says**.

"Just crushing over the Stiff initiate and scolding the Candor smart mouth whenever I can." Zeke finishes. Four's face grows red.

"I didn't say that!" Four shouts.

"Bet you were thinking it."

"Just read." Four says.

**Are they friends?**

"Yeah right. Eric would be friends with Four, when the Erudite stops writing negative reports about Abnegation." Peter remarks, failing to stifle a laugh. The room hated to admit it, but that was true.

**My eyes flick between Eric and Four. Everything Eric did-sitting here, asking about Four- suggests they are, but the way Four sits, tense as pulled wire, suggests they are something else. Rivals, maybe, but how could that be, if Eric is a leader and Four is not?**

"Position of power doesn't suggest we aren't." Four spat out.

**"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet up with you, and you don't show up," Eric says. "He requested that I find out what's going on with you."**

**Four looks at Eric for a few seconds before saying, "Tell him that am currently satisfied with the position I currently hold."**

**"So he wants to give you a job."**

**"So it would seem," Four says.**

**"And you aren't interested."**

**"I haven't been interested for two years."**

**"Well," says Eric. "Let's hope he gets the point, then." He claps Four on the shoulder, a little too hard, and gets up. When he walks away, I slouch immediately. I had not realized that I was so tense.**

**"Are you two...friends?" I say, unable to contain my curiosity.**

**"We were in the same initiate class," he says. "He transferred from Erudite."**

**All thoughts of being careful around Four leave me. "Were you a transfer too?"**

**"I thought that I would only have trouble with the Candor asking too many questions," he says coldly. "Now I've got Stiffs too?"**

"Don't be so harsh on your girlfriend, Four." Marlene 'scolds' him. Four's face grew hot again. He was really hating this book.

"She. is. not. my. girlfriend." He says, making his voice dangerously low.

Marlene huffed. "Why can't you take a joke?" she asks. Four ignores her. Zeke decides to read, before he got annoyed again.

**"It must be because you're so approachable," I say. flatly. "You know. Like a bed of nails."**

"That must've been a blast to your ego." Will says. Four didn't want to admit it, but that comment did hurt. Al smiles at that. Tris didn't like him. Or, so he thought.

**He stares at me, and I don't look away. He isn't a dog, but the same rules apply. Looking away is submissive. Looking him in the eye is a challenge. It's my choice. Heat rushes into my cheeks. What will happen when the tension breaks.**

**But he just says, "Careful, Tris."**

**My stomach drops like I just swallowed a stone. A Dauntless member at another table calls out Four's name, and I turn to Christina. She raises both eyebrows.**

**"What?" I ask.**

**"I'm developing a theory."**

**"And it is?"**

**She picks up her hamburger, grins and says, "That you have a death wish."**

"DUN, DUN, DUN!" Wil shouts. Almost everyone jumps out of their seats, forgetting he was there. Christina swatted him over the head.

"What was that for?" he asks, rubbing his head.

"For scaring the hell out of me." she answers through gritted teeth.

"Guys, the chapter isn't done you know. We have like," Zeke says, counting the pages, "six pages left."

"Fine, keep reading." Will says.

**After dinner, Four disappears without a word.**

"Did you miss me that bad, Tris?" Four whispers in her ear.

"Nope," she answers. "just pointing out the obvious."

Four frowns.

**Eric leads us down a series of hallways without telling us where we're going. I don't know why a Dauntless leader would be responsible for a group of initiates, but maybe it is just for tonight.**

"I wish." The quartet grumbled.  
**  
At the end of each hallway, is a blue lamp, but between them it's dark, and I have to be careful not to stumble over uneven ground. Christina walks behind me in silence. No one told us to be quiet, but none of us speak. Eric stops in front of a wooden door and folds his arms. We gather around him.**

**"For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric," he says. "I am one of the five leaders of the Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training.**

"More like taking over most of your training." Four muttered.

**The thought makes me nauseous. The idea that a Dauntless leader will oversee our initiation is bad enough, but the fact that it's Eric makes it seem even worse.**

**"Some ground rules,"**

"Who wants to bet that Tris will break the rules?" Uriah asked. No one even bothered, they all knew Tris would end up breaking at least one rule.

**he says. "You have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every day. Training takes place everyday from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do what ever you like after six. You will also get some time off between each stage of initiation."**

**The phrase "do whatever you like" sticks in my mind.**

Susan, Robert and Caleb roll their eyes. Of course.

**At home, I could never do what I wanted, not even for an evening. I had to think of other people's needs first. I don't even know what I like to do.**

"That's horrible!" shrieks Christina. Marlene nodded. The three Abnegation leaders exchanged looks. Was Abnegation that bad?

**"You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless," Eric adds. "Behind this door is the room where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks. You will notice that there are ten beds and only nine of you. We anticipated that a higher proportion of you would make it this far. "**

**"But we started with twelve," protests Christina. I close my eyes and wait for the reprimand. She needs to learn to stay quiet.**

"Wow. Even your closest friend wants you to be quiet. What does that tell you, Christina?" Will asks, with a "teacher voice".

"That I do whatever I want, even if my closest friend gets annoyed by it." Christina says. She is too proud to admit defeat. Even over something as simple as this.

**"There is always at least one transfer who doesn't make it to the compound," says Eric, picking at his cuticles. He shrugs. "Anyway, in the first stage of initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean y****ou are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation, your rankings will be determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born initiates. And they are better than you already. So I expect-"**

**"_Rankings?_" asks the mousy-haired Erudite girl to my right. "Why are we ranked?" Eric smiles, and in the blue light, his smile looks wicked, like it was cut into his face with a knife**.

"Like Jeff the Killer." Riley says.

"Who?" Christina asks.

"A teenager who went insane and liked his smile so much, he cut his face into a smile and burnt his eyelids. It was my favourite scary story. Why?"

"That's creepy." Christina shudders.

"Wait till you hear about Slenderman." Riley grins.

"Great, I'll have more nightmares." Christina moaned.

**"Your ranking serves two purposes," he says. "The first is that it determines the order in which you will select a job after initiation There are only a few _desirable _positions available." My stomach tightens. I know by looking at his smile, like I knew the second I entered the aptitude test room, that something bad is about to happen.**

"Bad is an understatement." Riley mutters, not wanting any more questions."

**"The second purpose," he says. "is that only the top ten initiates are made members." Pain stabs my stomach. We all stand as still as statues. And then Christina says, "_What?_"**

**"There are elven Dauntless-borns and only nine of you," Eric continues. "Four initiates will be cut at the end of stage one. The remainder will be cut after the final test." That means that even if we make it through initiation, six initiates will not be members. I see Christina look at me from the corner of my eye, but I can't look back at her. My eyes are fixed on Eric and will not move. My odds, as the smallest initiate, as the only Abnegation transfer, are not good.**

Four frowns. He doesn't care if the other initiates get cut. He'll make sure Tris becomes a member. He shakes his head. He was the instructor. Instructors aren't supposed to have favourites. Four sees Tris looking at him. He blushes, and looks the other way.

**"What do we do if we're cut?" Peter says.**

**"You leave the Dauntless compound," says Eric indifferently, "and live factionless." The mousy haired girl clamps her hand over her mouth and stifles a sob.**

"Myra's not going to make it, I already know. The only reason she even came to Dauntless was because of "her Edward." Will says.

"Do you know what her aptitude test says?" Al asked.

"Er- I think on the train, she said it said Amity? I'm not sure. She was busy making out with Edward." Will answers. Tris and Susan made faces at that. Robert and Caleb got used to it, considering a lot of people showed affection in their factions.

**I remember the factionless man with the gray teeth, snatching the bag of apples from my hands. His dull, staring eye. But instead of crying, like the Erudite girl, I feel colder. Harder. I will be a member. I will.**

**"But that's...not fair!" the broad-shouldered Candor girl, Molly, says.**

"Life's not fair. We just learn to deal with it." Susan says, looking at the three closest people she had for friends.

**Even though she sounds angry, she looks terrified. "If we had known-"**

**"Are you saying that if you had known before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" Eric snaps. "Because if that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward." Eric pushes the door to the dormitory open.**

**"You chose us," he says. "Now we have to choose you."**

**I lie in bed and listen to nine people breathing. I have never slept in the same room with a boy before, but here I have no other option, unless I want to sleep in the hallway.**

No one deserves to sleep in the hallway." Zeke says. Everyone looks at him, like he was insane. Four smirks, having heard of what happened that night.

"What are you talking about?" Peter asks, bewildered.

"Well, my fellow initiates decided to lock me out because I snored so loudly." Zeke started.

"You snore like a volcano, I should know, we've been in the same room for 15 years." Uriah exclaims.

"Ok. I snore loudly, they get the point. Anyway, they put a blanket and a pillow outside the dorm with a note saying I had to sleep there for the rest of the week. The next day, I got hit with the door about 5 times or more for the next few weeks every morning." Zeke says. The way he says it, makes them laugh.

**Everyone else changed into the clothes the Dauntless provided for us, but I sleep in my Abnegation clothes, which still smell like soap and fresh air, like home. I used to have my own room. I could see the front lawn from the window, and beyond it, the foggy skyline. I am used to sleeping in silence. Heat swells behind my eyes as I think of home, and when I blink, a tear slips out. I cover my mouth to stifle a sob. I can't cry, not here. I have to calm down.**

**It will be alright here. I can look at my reflection whenever I want. I can befriend Christina, and cut my hair short, and let other people clean up their messes. My hands shake and the tears come faster now, blurring my vision. It doesn't matter that the next time I see my parents, on Visiting Day, they will barely recognize me-if they come at all. It doesn't matter that I ache at eve a split second memory of their faces. Even Caleb's, despite how much his secrets hurt me.**

Caleb's own eyes rimmed with tears, as did Mr. and Mrs. Prior. Caleb didn't think of how much his secrets would hurt his family. Mr. and Mrs. Prior just wanted their daughter to stop thinking this way. It bothered them. Everybody else, wanted to get out of the room, do anything else besides reading this. They felt like they were intruding.

**I match my inhales to the inhales of the other initiates, and my exhales to their exhales. It doesn't matter. A strangled sound interrupts the breathing, followed by a heavy sob. Bed springs squeal as a large body turns, and a pillow muffles the sobs, but not enough. They come from the bunk next to mine-they belong to a Candor boy, Al, the largest and the broadest of all the initiates. He was the last person I expected to break down.**

**His feet are just inches from my head. I should comfort him-I should want to comfort him, because I was raised that way. Instead I feel disgust.**

"Sorry, Al. I shouldn't have thought that." Tris says.

"It's fine. I shouldn't be crying so loud." Al says.

"But, I-"

"It's fine, Tris."

**Someone who looks so strong shouldn't act so** **weak.**

Tris sent an apologetic look, to Al, which he waved off.

"You're right. I shouldn't."

"That doesn't mean you have to." Tris counters.

"This is all in the past Tris."

"Fine."

**Why can't he keep his crying quiet like the rest of us? I swallow hard. If my mother knew what I was thinking, I know the look she would give me. The corners of her mouth turned down. Her eyebrows set low over her eyes-not scowling, almost tired. I drag the heel of my hand over my cheeks. Al sobs again. I almost feel the sound grate in my own throat. He is just inches away from me-I should touch him. No. I put my hand down and roll onto my side, facing the wall. No one has to know that I don't want to help him. I can keep that secret buried.**

"Except for the fact that we're reading this out loud." Robert says, trying to diffuse the tension. It didn't work.

**My eyes shut and I feel the pull of sleep, but every time I come close, I hear Al again. Maybe my problem isn't that I can't go home. I will miss my mother and father and Caleb and evening firelight and the clack of my mother's knitting needles, but that is not the only reason for this hollow feeling in my stomach. My problem might be that even if I go home, I wouldn't belong there, among people who give without thinking and care without trying.**

**The thought makes me grit my teeth. I gather the pillow around my ears to block out Al's crying, and fall asleep with a circle of moisture pressed to my cheek.**

"That was depressing." Uriah says before he rushes to the washroom. When he comes back, he takes the book from his brother, and starts to read.

**"Chapter** **8"**

Tris was excited. Four more chapters till it was her time to read. Riley grinned at the unsuspecting Four. Five more chapters and it was time to read Free Four.

**A/N: 4 more chapters :D Who else like Free Four? It's so cute. Especially Four's confession to himself at the ending.] **


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